Capsicum Fry | South Indian Bell Pepper Stir Fry

Capsicum fry recipe with step by step photos. This is a quick and delicious South Indian style Bell Pepper Recipe. An easy one-pot vegan and no onion no garlic recipe. Can be made gluten-free if you skip adding asafoetida (hing).

Most fry or stir fry recipes are easy to prepare. They make for a quick side dish with chapatis or can be served with the main course too.

In this recipe of capsicum fry, I have also added potatoes to make the dish more filling and hearty. Though you can skip potatoes, and just add more capsicum. This dish can also be packed in the tiffin box with some chapati or roti. The recipe serves 1, but can be easily doubled or tripled.

In this dish, a bit of extra mustard seeds are added which is the highlight of this recipe. Hence their flavor is felt. So do make sure that they crackle before you add the other ingredients. Or else you will get raw texture in them while eating.

Do use a small variety of mustard seeds and not large ones. Also in the recipe, the capsicum is not completely softened. There is a slight crunch in them.

You can use any color of bell pepper that are available. You can even mix the different varieties of bell pepper to make a colorful looking dish.

How to make Capsicum Fry

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a small frying pan. Lower the heat and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle on low heat.

They should make a crackling sound, before you proceed to the next step.

2. Once the mustard seeds have started crackling, then add 1 teaspoon of chopped curry leaves, a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and 1 green chili (chopped).

Stir well. Instead of green chili, 1 dry red chili can be added.

3. Add ⅓ cup of potatoes that have been chopped into small cubes. Do chop potatoes in small cubes, so that they cook quickly.

The addition of potatoes is optional.

4. On sim or low heat with stirring at intervals, saute the potatoes. Spread them in the pan, so that they cook evenly.

5. Saute till the potatoes become light browned or slightly crisp from their surface and edges.

6. Now add chopped capsicum (approx 100 grams). The capsicum also has to be chopped into small pieces.

7. Stir and mix well.

8. Add a pinch of turmeric powder (ground turmeric).

9. Stir and mix again. Saute on a low heat stirring after every 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the veggies in a pan, so that they cook evenly.

10. Saute till the capsicum edges also get golden. By the time the capsicum gets almost cooked, the potatoes will also be nicely crisp and golden.

The capsicum in this recipe is not completely softened. There is a slight crunch in them.

11. Lastly season with salt as per taste. Stir again and mix very well. At this step, you can also add 2 tablespoons of grated coconut or 1.5 tablespoons of desiccated coconut powder.

12. Switch off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.

Serve capsicum fry hot or warm with chapatis or paratha or as a side with dal or rasam or with any South Indian curry.

They can also be packed for lunch box with a side of chapati or plain paratha.

Few more veggies recipes for you!

• Stuffed capsicum
• Aloo capsicum
• Potato fry
• Brinjal fry
• Cauliflower fry

Step by Step Photo Guide Above

Capsicum Fry | South Indian Bell Pepper Stir Fry

Author: Dassana Amit

5 from 6 votes

Quick and delicious South Indian style capsicum fry made with bell pepper, potato, herbs and spices.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings1 to 2

CourseSide Dish

DietVegan

CuisineSouth Indian

Ingredients

• ▢ 100 grams capsicum (bell pepper) or 1 medium to large capsicum or ¾ cup chopped capsicum cubes
• ▢ 1 small to medium potato or ⅓ cup potato chopped in small cubes
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sesame oil (sunflower oil can be used instead)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon small mustard seeds
• ▢ 6 to 7 curry leaves – chopped or 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves
• ▢ 1 green chili – chopped
• ▢ 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• ▢ 1 pinch turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
• ▢ salt as required
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)

Instructions

• Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a small frying pan. Lower the flame and add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle. They should make the crackling sound, before you proceed to the next step.
• Once the mustard seeds have started crackling, then add 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves, a pinch of asafoetida and 1 green chili (chopped). Stir well. Instead of green chili, 1 dry red chili can be added.
• Add potatoes which have been chopped in small cubes. Do chop potatoes in small cubes, so that they cook quickly.
• On sim or low flame with stirring at intervals, saute the potatoes. Spread them in the pan, so that they cook evenly.
• Saute till the potatoes become light browned or slightly crisp from their surface and edges.
• Now add chopped capsicum. The capsicum also have to be chopped in small pieces. Stir and mix well.
• Add a pinch of turmeric powder.
• Mix again and saute on a low heat stirring after every 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the veggies in a pan, so that they cook evenly.
• Saute till the capsicum edges also get golden. By the time the capsicum gets almost cooked, the potatoes will also be done. The capsicum in this recipe is not completely softened. There is a slight crunch in them.
• Lastly season with salt as per taste. Mix very well.
• Switch off the heat and add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
• Serve capsicum fry hot or warm with chapatis or a side with dal or any curry.

Notes

• The recipe can easily be doubled or tripled.
• You can use any color of bell pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 161mg | Potassium: 499mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3505IU | Vitamin C: 338.3mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 2.7mg

This Capsicum Fry Post from the blog archives, first published in July 2016 has been republished and updated on December 2022.