Easy Capsicum Curry With Potatoes

It's just perfect that most peppers are packed in three, with a green capsicum, a yellow one and a red or orange one, as 99% of the time I only want the yellow and red, while Jay loves the green ones.

This capsicum masala with potatoes is unique and not something that you will find in any Indian restaurant, however, it should be as all the flavors and textures blend together to create the most amazing recipe.

While the rich and smooth paste to create the gravy is made by blending together different kinds of seeds and nuts, onion, and other flavorings, the creaminess is balanced by some tomato, while the green capsicum is cooked just right, maintaining a light crunch!

From kitchen to table in half an hour, this green bell pepper masala recipe will become a family favorite and with so many modifications, you can turn the gravy to many different curries!

Capsicum Masala Curry Recipe Ingredients

• Fennel Seeds, Sesame Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Coriander Seeds, Cashew Nuts: These are lightly cooked with other ingredients and then blended to a creamy paste to create the base of the capsicum masala. Cashew nuts can be swapped for roasted peanuts, although their taste tends to be a little stronger.
• Onion, Garlic, Ginger: It would be surprising not to find them in this curry! Try to use them fresh, however, the garlic and ginger can be swapped for ginger garlic paste if necessary, although be mindful of quantities, as the strength tends to differ.
• Vegetable Oil: Perfect for cooking the ingredients of the masala paste and the main curry, choose a flavorless one, such as sunflower.
• Cumin Seeds: This is the only whole spice in this recipe and it takes very few seconds to cook in the oil.
• Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala, Turmeric Powder: The most commonly used Indian spices are the only ones used in this recipe. For a milder yet flavorful option, choose Kashmiri red chilli powder instead of hot red chili powder.
• Tomato: This is added to the curry to balance out the flavor with a little tanginess. Choose a medium-sized mature one. This can be swapped for a little good-quality tomato paste, although it is not the exact same.
• Potatoes: These are optional, but are perfect to balance the flavor of green bell peppers. Depending on the potatoes, you can have them skin on or skin off.
• Capsicum: The star of the dish! Choose fresh crunchy peppers for the perfect end result. Ensure you cook them for 6-8 minutes to maintain a little bite and avoid them going bitter and mushy. Capsicum is called shimla mirch in Hindi.
• Cilantro [Fresh Coriander Leaves]: These chopped coriander leaves are stirred into the aloo capsicum masala just before serving and add a fresh note to the curry. It gives a nice touch, however, this ingredient can be skipped if not liked.

How To Prepare Capsicum Curry

Prepare The Paste

1. Add the vegetable oil to a pan and heat it on medium flame.
2. Once warm, add chopped onion, garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, and cashew nuts with a little salt.
3. Mix well and reduce the flame to medium-low.
4. Stir frequently to ensure the seeds don't overcook, while still allowing the onion, ginger, and garlic to brown and become soft. This step will take 5-7 minutes.
5. Once all the ingredients are golden brown, move these to a blender jar with a little water [about ¼ cup], and blend until you achieve a smooth creamy paste.
6. Should it be necessary, add a little more water, without overpouring. It is essential water is used as you want a paste and not a powder, which may make the curry grainy because of the ground nuts [it would feel like a coarse powder in the curry]. This is the base for the capsicum gravy.
7. Set aside and begin putting the capsicum curry together.

Start Preparing The Capsicum Masala

8. In the same pan, add a little oil and heat it up on a medium flame once more.
9. Once warm, add the cumin seeds and allow them to become fragrant, which will take about 30 seconds.
10. Next, add the paste you prepared and mix it well. Reduce the flame to medium-low, mix well, and allow the ingredients to cook together for a minute or so, until the oil separates.
11. Add garam masala, red chili powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Mix well once more and allow the spices to cook, which will take approximately 2-3 minutes.

12. At this stage, add the mature chopped tomato and the diced potato, which is an optional ingredient in this capsicum masala recipe. Mix well, cover the saucepan with a lid, and allow to cook on a low flame for 6-8 minutes.
13. Remove the lid from the saucepan, and add the chopped green bell peppers and a cup and a half of water. Mix well, cover the pan once more, and allow to cook for another 6-8 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked and the bell peppers are still a little crunchy.

14. At this stage, you can add a little more water if you like your capsicum masala curry a little more liquid, but ensure you bring it to a light simmer for a minute or two before serving, should you wish to do so to achieve your desired consistency.
15. Before serving, sprinkle some cilantro leaves [fresh coriander leaves] on top, and serve with fragrant pulao rice, or Indian flatbreads.

People Also Ask [FAQs]

How To Cut Peppers?

1. Wash the pepper thoroughly under cold water.
2. Place the bell pepper on the chopping board laying it on its side.
3. Cut off the bottom and top of it, and discard its pedicel and calyx [the unedible part from which the pepper is attached to the main plant].
4. Slice the sides of the pepper and eliminate the placenta, seeds, and septa that are found inside; these are the white parts that can be found inside the peppers.
5. Last cut the slices of pepper and its bottom to the desired shape and use as instructed in the recipe.
6. This recipe for capsicum curry calls for diced green bell peppers.

How To Store Capsicum Curry With Potatoes?

• In the fridge: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
• In the freezer: Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to three months. To defrost, thaw overnight in the fridge then gently reheat until thoroughly hot.

Tips And Tricks For Capsicum Curry With Potatoes

• Bell Peppers: Although I use green peppers in this recipe, for a sweeter flavor, you can mix them or use instead yellow or red bell peppers.
• Potatoes: This aloo capsicum curry recipe uses regular potatoes, however, you can use baby potatoes instead. Just wash them and chop them in half or quarters, depending on their size. Their skin tends to be thinner, so you may skip peeling them, should you like.
• Tomatoes: This wonderful recipe uses very simple ingredients and only calls for a single tomato. Should you not have any, you can use 1 tablespoon of tomato paste or ½ cup of tomato puree instead. Ensure these are not flavored and adjust seasoning accordingly; should these be too acidic, you can add ¼ teaspoon of caster sugar to the curry for balance. The best end result will be achieved using fresh tomatoes.
• Coconut: For a richer, sweeter curry, you can add ½ cup of grated fresh coconut to the paste. Cook it with the thinly chopped onions, mixing frequently, to ensure it doesn't burn [fresh and dry coconut releases its own oils]. When using coconut in the capsicum masala curry, I would suggest adding a slit green chili [or two!] and a handful of curry leaves at the same time as the tomato and potatoes. Fresh coconut, green chili, and curry leaves will give this curry a South Indian twist! NOTE: Dry coconut or desiccated coconut won't work in this recipe, as it won't blend to a smooth paste and a smooth gravy is what we want to achieve!
• Mustard Seeds: If you are following the suggestions above for a Southern Indian taste, then I'd recommend adding ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds just before adding the cumin seeds.
• Paste: The initial paste for this aloo capsicum malasa recipe requires that you fry till the seeds, nuts, onion, ginger, and garlic are golden brown. Do not overcook these as the end result will be bitter! Continually stir to avoid this, and do not dry roast the ingredients, but heat oil enough that as soon as the ingredients are added there are small bubbles around them. Should they start to brown too quickly, from medium heat reduce the flame to low.
• Cashew: Good substitutes are peanuts, macadamia, and almonds. They all taste a little different, but will do the job!
• Veggie Variation: Should you wish to add more vegetables to this capsicum curry with potatoes [or if you wish to skip the potatoes], you can add more peppers of other colors, green beans, green peas, cauliflower, or some chickpeas. It is important in any case that the peppers are added just 6-8 minutes before the curry is ready to ensure they are not overcooked, mushy, and bitter.

This capsicum curry with potatoes is a very simple curry that tastes delicious and is ready in under half an hour!

Serve this curry as a vegan and vegetarian main course or as a side, and enjoy it with pulao rice, jeera rice, or any Indian flatbread, such as roti or chapatti.

Surprise family and friends with this new aloo capsicum curry recipe... with so many capsicum recipes out there, this will definitely become the one you will prepare over and over again.

WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you are thinking of trying this yummy recipe but have questions, then reach out, and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. If you've given this a go, then please rate the recipe card below and leave a comment to help fellow readers and to share your thoughts... it would be greatly appreciated!