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Learn how to make Bharwa Shimla Mirch Recipe | Stuffed Bell Peppers | Stuffed Capsicum Recipe with a simple and easy video tutorial.
This is a flavourful, tasty, lip-smacking Indian style side dish cooked using a spicy filling made of mashed and stir-fried potatoes aka aloo.
Bharwa or Bharwan means ‘stuffed’ in Hindi language. Shimla Mirch is known as capsicum or bell peppers. The accurate translation of this bharwa shimla mirch is stuffed capsicum/ bell pepper. This dish is also known as Aloo Ki Bharwa Shimla Mirch in Hindi.
These easy and healthy stuffed bell peppers are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. You don’t need to have any professional skills to cook these deliciously homemade stuffed peppers. This bharwa shimla mirch requires no oven time, and is almost effortless to make. Another best part is this — they’re fun to make and eat.
What is Bharwa Shimla Mirch?
Bharwa Shimla Mirch is a gratifying side dish made of shimla mirch aka bell peppers stuffed with spiced and stir-fried potatoes.
What do we say Shimla Mirch in English?
Shimla Mirch is Known as capsicum in Indian English, or bell peppers in other words.
Mashed potato stuffed bell peppers:
For preparing this side dish, you cut the capsicum/bell pepper into halves, remove the stem and de-seed them.
Then you fill the hollow capsicum shells with the spicy potato mixture. Some people also like to add grated paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) to this recipe.
The spicy masala stuffing enhances the sweet flavors of capsicum. The combination of capsicum and spicy potato gives it a nice and unique taste. This bharwa shimla mirch is definitely a dish to live for.
What else can I add to Stuffed Capsicum?
You can also add peas or corn kernels to the potato mixture for making Stuffed Capsicum.
How to serve Bharwa Shimla Mirch?
This Indian Style Stuffed Capsicum is a stunningly looking colorful dry side dish which makes a great addition to your lunch/dinner table. It goes perfectly well along with some raita, dal, and Indian flatbreads such as chapati or paratha.
How to make the best stuffed bell peppers for parties?
You should possibly use colorful bell peppers for making it for parties, because they look presentable and more enticing. Any kind of stuffed dishes are exotic and toothsome. And these palatable and appetizing stuffed peppers are definitely suitable for serving in parties.
How To make Bharwa Shimla Mirch with paneer?
Simply swap the potatoes with grated paneer, and the rest of the recipe will be the same.
How do you make Aloo Capsicum Stuffed / Bharwa Shimla Mirch?
Bharwa Shimla Mirch is a North-Indian Style side dish. The recipe I am sharing today is my mom’s recipe of making Bharwa Aloo Shimla Mirch or Aloo Ki Bharwa Shimla Mirch.
She stir-fries mashed potatoes with onions, green chilies, and dry spices. Then she packs the Shimla Mirch with that bhuna hua aloo ka masala.
My mom also makes another version of aloo ka masala for bharwa shimla mirch, where she fills hollow mirch with raw aloo ka masala.
For making bharwa shimla mirch with raw stuffing, you need to add all the stuffing ingredients to a mixing pan, except oil. Mix everything well and stuff shimla mirch with this mixture. Both of these versions are equally delectable.
How to make capsicum filling?
There are mainly 4 ways of making Indian style capsicum filling. They are:
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Aloo (Potato) Filling
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Besan (gram flour) Filling
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Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) Filling
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Aloo Paneer Filling
Can I bake this Stuffed Bell Peppers in the oven?
Yes, you can easily bake them in the oven. Spoon mixture into bell peppers. Simply brush the stuffed bell peppers with oil. Bake this in 375°F/190°C preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
If you want those brown spots, then after 30 minutes, turn the oven to broiler settings and broil on high for 2-3 minutes.
How To Make Stuffed Shimla Mirch In Microwave?
Traditionally, stuffed shimla mirch is pan-fried. But you can easily replicate this recipe in the microwave. Following is the recipe.
Stuffed Shimla Mirch microwave recipe:
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Make stuffing.
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Fill the emptied shimla mirch with this stuffing.
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Brush shimla mirch with cooking oil.
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Arrange them in a microwave-safe pan.
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Cook for 5 minutes on high.
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Flip and cook for 5 minutes on each side.
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The whole cooking time would be around 15-20 minutes.
Some interesting facts about Shimla Mirch:
‘Shimla’ is the capital city and also a popular hill-station of the Northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. ’Mirch’ is a name for chili in the Hindi language.
Are red and yellow peppers the same?
All differently colored sweet peppers are all the same type of pepper — they are just at a different period or stage of ripeness. As the peppers age and ripen, their taste and color changes. Red ones are fully ripe, yellow ones half ripen, and green ones even lesser.
How long does it take to cook raw stuffed peppers?
It takes around 20-30 minutes to cook raw stuffed peppers. In the pan it takes around 20 minutes and in the oven it takes around 30 minutes.
Health benefits of capsicum:
There are many health benefits of eating capsicum/bell pepper.
They are an excellent source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Vitamin C as we all know enhances the immunity.
Important Notes:
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If you want to skip stir-frying the potatoes, then you can stuff capsicum with raw potato mixture.
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To prevent capsicum from burning, keep stirring them frequently.
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Capsicum takes some time in cooking, so keep flipping and cooking them from all the sides until they are tender and well-cooked from all the sides.
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I chose 3 different colors of Capsicum for this recipe, but you can surely choose any color you like.
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If the peppers have an unbalanced bottom, then you can also cut away a very thin slice of pepper from the bottoms so the peppers can stand upright. Also, you can poke about some tiny holes in the bottoms to let juices drain out.
Bharwa Shimla Mirch - Potato Stuffed Bell Peppers (Step-by-step photo instructions)
Cut Capsicum/Shimla Mirch/Bell Peppers:
- Slice the capsicums/peppers into half and cut out the stems from the tops.
- Cut the core from the inside of the peppers and strip away any seeds.
- Rinse them in water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Set it aside.
Make Stuffing:
- Mash or grate the boiled potatoes, set them aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a broad pan over medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- Once the seeds start to crackle add the chopped green chilies and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, do not overcook, we want slightly crunchy onions.
- Add mashed potatoes, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, amchoor powder, and salt to taste.
- Mix everything well to combine.
- Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the potato mixture onto a plate, and let it cool off completely.
Stuff Shimla Mirch/Capsicum:
- Spoon the hollowed capsicum/shimla mirch with potato mixture. Press tightly with a spoon, to make sure that stuffing doesn’t come out while cooking.
Cook Shimla Mirch/Capsicum In a Pan:
- Heat 1 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add the stuff capsicums to the pan and shake the pan slightly to make sure that all the capsicums are coated well with oil.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
- Open the lid. Flip the capsicum and cook cover for 7-8 minutes.
- Cover the pan, and cook for 7 more minutes or until the capsicum is cooked through.
- Do a knife test by inserting a knife on the sides of capsicum, if it slides easily that means the capsicum is done.
- Add the remaining masala and sauté for few more minutes.
- For serving, first, arrange the masala on a serving platter.
- Place stuffed capsicum on the bed of potato mixture.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve this bharwa shimla mirch/stuffed capsicum hot as a side dish along with roti or paratha.
Alternatively Bake Shimla Mirch/Capsicum In an Oven:
- Preheated oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Simply brush the stuffed bell peppers with oil.
- Arrange them in a baking pan.
- Bake in 375°F/190°C preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the peppers are tender. If you want the brown spots, then after 30 minutes, turn the oven to broiler settings and broil on high for 2-3 minutes.
Recipe Card
Bharwa Shimla Mirch - Potato Stuffed Bell Peppers [Recipe]
★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 111 reviews)
| Prep time 🕐 | Cook time 🕐 | Total time 🕐 |
|---|---|---|
| 40 mins | ||
| Category ☶ | Cuisine ♨ | Serves ☺ |
| Sides | Indian | 5-6 |
| Nutrition Info ⊛ | Serving size ⊚ | |
| 185 calories | 1 piece |
INGREDIENTS
For Bharwa Shimla Mirch/stuffed Capsicum/stuffed Bell Peppers:
- 4 medium potatoes, boiled, halved and peeled
- 3 large, bell peppers (you can choose any color)
- 1 cup onions, chopped
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- 3 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi powder)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala powder
- Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
Cut Capsicum/Shimla Mirch/Bell Peppers:
- Slice the capsicums/peppers into half and cut out the stems from the tops.
- Cut the core from the inside of the peppers and strip away any seeds.
- Rinse them in water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Set it aside.
Make Stuffing:
- Mash or grate the boiled potatoes, set them aside.
- Heat 3 tablespoon oil in a broad pan over medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- Once the seeds start to crackle add the chopped green chilies and saute for 1 minute.
- Add the chopped onions and saute for 3-4 minutes, do not overcook, we want slightly crunchy onions.
- Add mashed potatoes, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, amchoor powder, and salt to taste.
- Mix everything well to combine.
- Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Transfer the potato mixture onto a plate, and let it cool off completely.
Stuff Shimla Mirch/Capsicum:
- Spoon the hollowed capsicum/shimla mirch with potato mixture. Press tightly with a spoon, to make sure that stuffing doesn’t come out while cooking.
Cook Shimla Mirch/Capsicum In a Pan:
- Heat 1 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add the stuff capsicums to the pan and shake the pan slightly to make sure that all the capsicums are coated well with oil.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes.
- Open the lid. Flip the capsicum and cook cover for 7-8 minutes.
- Cover the pan, and cook for 7 more minutes or until the capsicum is cooked through.
- Do a knife test by inserting a knife on the sides of capsicum, if it slides easily that means the capsicum is done.
- Add the remaining masala and sauté for few more minutes.
- For serving, first, arrange the masala on a serving platter.
- Place stuffed capsicum on the bed of potato mixture.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve this bharwa shimla mirch/stuffed capsicum hot as a side dish along with roti or paratha.
Alternatively Bake Shimla Mirch/Capsicum In an Oven:
- Preheated oven to 375°F/190°C.
- Simply brush the stuffed bell peppers with oil.
- Arrange them in a baking pan.
- Bake in 375°F/190°C preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until the peppers are tender. If you want the brown spots, then after 30 minutes, turn the oven to broiler settings and broil on high for 2-3 minutes.
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NOTES:
- If you want to skip stir-frying the potatoes, then you can stuff capsicum with raw potato mixture.
- To prevent capsicum/pepper from burning, keep stirring them frequently.
- Capsicum takes some time in cooking, so keep flipping and cooking them from all the sides until they are tender and well-cooked from all the sides.
- I chose 3 different colors of Capsicum for this recipe, but you can surely choose any color you like.
- If the peppers have an unbalanced bottom, then you can also cut away a very thin slice of pepper from the bottoms so the peppers can stand upright.
- Also, you can poke about some tiny holes in the bottoms to let juices drain out.
- I like to serve this bharwa shimla mirch with extra potato mixture. But, if you don’t want extra stuffing use only 2 large potatoes.
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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/bharwa-shimla-mirch-recipe/