Flavoured or spiced vegetable-based rice recipes are very common across South India. It is typically made for morning breakfast but can be easily extended to other meals. Capsicum Bath is an easy, simple, and yummy rice recipe that is perfect when you want to cook something in a jiffy, or one of those days when you are in no mood to cook. This dish takes about 15 minutes to get ready, and is also ideal for your lunchbox if you are looking for ways to use the leftover rice.
The interesting part of these rice dishes is the spice mix used in each recipe. They are non-identical and it is a different set and blend of spices. Similarly, for the Capsicum Vangi Bhat recipe, there is a unique spice mix which helps to enhance the capsicum flavour. Moreover, the spice mix can also be used as curry powder and can be used for almost all dry curries or sabji. It can be easily purchased from any South Indian shop or can be ordered online.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup rice (cooked)
• 2-3 green capsicum (chopped into medium size pieces)
• A fistful of green peas (matar)
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 green chilli (slit)
• 2-3 tbsps Vangi Bath powder
• Salt, as required
• Tamarind, soaked in water
• Lemon juice (a few drops)
• 2-3 tbsps dry coconut (grated)
For tempering:
• 2-3 tbsps oil
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp chana dal
• 1 tsp white urad dal (split)
• A few cashew nuts
• A few curry leaves
• 1 dry red chilli (broken)
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
Method:
• Wash the rice and cook it with water and salt in a saucepan or use leftover rice.
• The cooked rice grains should be separate and not mushy.
• Once cooked, spread the cooked rice on a wide plate, this will make the grains separate further and also help to cool down quickly.
• Heat oil in a kadhai and add mustard seeds, lentils, and cashew nuts.
• Once they splutter add curry leaves, red chilli, and green chilli.
• Add onion, green peas, turmeric, and salt.
• Saute it until the raw smell of onion goes away.
• Once it is done, add chopped capsicum and cook it for 3-4 minutes.
• Once the capsicum is cooked half, add vangi bath powder, tamarind juice and mix everything well.
• Cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, so that capsicum takes in the flavour.
• Finally, add the grated coconut and give a gentle mix.
• Switch off after the extra moisture has evaporated.
• Now add rice to the pan and mix everything properly.
• Drizzle some lemon juice, and salt and mix it well again.
• Serve Capsicum Bath with Lauki Raita, Beetroot Raita, Burani Raita or any other raita of your choice.
Don’t make the rice mushy. It will spoil the taste. Add a few drops of ghee/oil and a few drops of lemon while making rice for pulao. This will help the rice grains to remain separate.