Capsicum rice recipe with step by step pics. This is an easy, quick and delicious one-pot capsicum rice or capsicum pulao. Gluten-free and vegan.
For those who like capsicum or bell peppers, here’s an aromatic pulao made with green bell peppers, spices and rice. This is a mild pulao and so goes well with kids or folks who do not prefer spicy food. It can also be packed in the tiffin box with a side dal or gravy dish or chutney.
There are not many ingredients used in the recipe and thus This capsicum rice goes very well with a side vegetable or paneer gravy, dal or even simple onion-tomato raita. I also make a spicy version of capsicum rice and I will share this recipe too.
Apart from green bell peppers, you can also use red or yellow bell peppers or even a mix of all three.
You can add additional veggies like carrot, green peas, cauliflower or potatoes in the recipe. This will not only add more flavor but will also increase the nutritional content in this capsicum rice. But then it will be more like a veg pulao however will taste good and will be healthy.
How to make capsicum rice
1. Rinse 1 cup basmati rice very well in water. Then soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Later drain and keep the rice aside.
2. Meanwhile when the rice is soaking, slice the 1 medium onion thinly. Also slice 2 medium capsicums. Keep aside.
3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices – 1 tsp cumin seeds, 2 green cardamoms, 2 cloves, ½ inch cinnamon, 2 small tej-patta (or 1 medium to large tej-patta), 2 single strands of mace. Saute till the spices crackle and become fragrant.
4. Then add the sliced onions.
5. stir very well.
6. Saute till the onions become golden.
7. Now add the sliced capsicum.
8. Add 3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves.
9. Stir very well.
10. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
11. Add rice and salt.
12. stir and saute for a minute.
Cooking capsicum rice
13. Pour 1.75 cups water. Also, squeeze in 4 to 5 drops of lemon juice. Stir again.
14. Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook capsicum rice on a medium to high flame for 2 to 3 whistles. when the pressure falls down on its own, open the lid and gently fluff the capsicum rice. I pressure cooked rice for 3 whistles. Depending on the type of rice, you can add 1.75 to 2 cups water and pressure cook for 2 to 3 whistles. You can also make the pulao in a pot. Add water accordingly if making the capsicum pulao in a pot or pan.
15. Serve capsicum rice With some curry dish or a dal. I served with mushroom masala.
More tasty rice recipes for you !
- Carrot rice – this is a lightly spiced and delicious carrot rice recipe.
- Mango rice – a spiced, tempered and tangy rice dish made from raw mangoes.
- Pudina rice – a fragrant, spicy and tasty dish made with mint leaves and some more spices-herbs.
- Sambar rice – an easy to prepare delicious one pot meal. Making sambar rice is similar to making Bisi bele bath.
- Coconut rice – light, mild South Indian coconut rice recipe made with fresh grated coconut.
Capsicum Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice or 200 grams basmati rice
- 2 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 green cardamoms (choti elaichi)
- 2 cloves (lavang)
- ½ inch cinnamon (dalchini)
- 2 small tejpatta or 1 medium to large tejpatta (indian bay leaf)
- 2 single strands of mace (javitiri)
- 1 medium onion, sliced or ½ cup sliced onions
- 75 to 80 grams capsicum or 2 medium capsicum or ¾ cup sliced capsicum (shimla mirch or bell pepper)
- 3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
- 4 to 5 drops of lemon juice
- 1.75 cups water
- salt as required
Instructions
preparation for capsicum rice
- Rinse 1 cup basmati rice very well in water.
- Then soak rice in water for 30 minutes. Later drain and keep the rice aside.
- Meanwhile when the rice is soaking, slice the onions thinly. Also slice the capsicum.
making capsicum rice
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices - cumin seeds, green cardamoms, cloves, inch cinnamon, tejpatta, strands of mace.
- Saute till the spices crackle and become fragrant.
- Then add the sliced onions.
- Stir very well and saute till the onions become golden.
- Now add the sliced capsicum and chopped coriander leaves.
- Stir very well and saute for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the rice. Stir and saute for a minute.
- Pour water and season with salt. Also add 3 to 4 drops of lemon juice. Stir.
- Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook capsicum rice on a medium to high flame for 2 to 3 whistles.
- When the pressure falls down on its own, open the lid and gently fluff the capsicum rice.
- Serve capsicum rice hot with some curry dish or a dal.
All your recipes are superb. Always comes out tasty.
thanks a lot jayashree. glad to know. thanks for the rating too.
Hey I have always been reading ur recipes.. I tried this pulao today but I think I used too much water because it turned out like a khichdi. My hubby just love capsicum in any dish so i tried this today but it doesnt look like pulao 🙁 can u tell me the measurement of water for rice . Does water measurement differ for plain rice and pulao/biryani
sush, depending on the quality of rice, you can easily add 1.5 to 2 cups water for 1 cup of rice which has been pre soaked for 30 minutes. while cooking in a pressure cooker also you can add upto 1.5 to 2 cups water for 1 cup of presoaked rice. for an aldente texture in rice, 1.5 cups water is fine, but if you want the rice to be more on the softer side, then add 1.75 cups rice. usually i add 1.75 cups water for 1 cup of organic basmati rice or even regular basmati rice which has been presoaked for 30 minutes. in biryani and pulao, the rice is cooked well but it should remain separate, whereas in usual cooking of rice, it can be cooked more.
U didn’t mention what to use for spicing up the rice ?
shobhana, are you asking for the spicy variation of this pulao?
Very nice recipes from your blog. I love it and the recipes I tried was yummy. Thank you so much for a detailed procedure. I’m so happy
welcome akshathanv. thanks for your positive feedback.
Love your recipes. After making couple of dishes from this website i have stopped looking else where. This is my one stop for tasty veg recipes. Big Thanks to you.
pleased to know this thank you for your kind and motivating words 🙂 always welcome.
All receipes are tasty. Wat ever we search here am able to find it. We found this very useful
pleased to know that preeethika thankyou so much 🙂
Thank you for posting this recipe. It came out great. My husband is a fantastic cook. It felt amazing when he appreciated it. I did a slight variation. Added green chillies and green peas. It was hard to differentiate between green chilly and capsicum after it was cooked. So I think it is better not to add green chilly next time.
You are doing a great job!
welcome archana. glad to know this. thanks for sharing your positive feedback and variation.
Hello,
The recipe was helpful for preparing a quick but tasty lunch. Was great with cucumber and pomegranate raita. Thanks to you.
Welcome Mrs S Kumar
It is my pleasure to write a comment for you because I am a person who have never cooked food before marriage because I never had time but 3 months back I got married so the biggest problem for me was cooking good and variety food which was a dream but because of you it is possible know so you are my guru and whatever cook from your given receipes is a hit. So thank you so much. And love to se more recepies .one more thing I would like to know the receipe of dal batti which is not their in your blog plz post it for me.
thank you very much amrata. glad and pleased to read your comment. i will add the dal bati recipe. i have got some more requests for the same recipe.
It’s really amazing and you know it’s tasty too. I am very Happy today because of you. THANKS A LOT
welcome srishti
Hi Dassana.. I am a great fan of your recipes… I never used to cook south Indian food, but with your simple and easy-to-make recipes, i have started enjoying cooking it.. Thank you so much… 🙂
welcome jessica. nice to know this. thanks for your positive feedback and kind words.
Hi Amit, all your recipes are awesome… can you pls tell me which rice did you use (Brand and Type of rice) ?
thanks heena. i use various organic brands of basmati rice. i also use sona masuri rice.
It was the first time that I’ve cooked rice and it already seems like my best.
Thanks a lot. It’s one bonus for the detailed description 🙂
thanks a lot rashi.
Can u please post spicy version of capsicum rice
yes will add in some time.
Great ! Just one suggestion … Personal experience has been if one adds a spoon or two of coconut powder after sautéing the onion and capsicum and adding the rice … It gives a wonderful fragrance and enhances the taste as well !!
thanks mangala for the suggestions.
I tried this one it came really nice 🙂
thanks harmya
so simple very easy…..My parents also like this..even ready in just 30 minutes which is the plus point for all office going females……
thanks deepika
Awesome…. will surely try and let u know
thanks sunita
Yummy! I am going to try this next!
thanks chanchal
Nice recipe every nicely explain step by step
thanks kalpana
So simple n so easy .vl try tody itself
thanks sharada.
Hi dassana,
Pulao looks mouthwatering can you please give us punjabi mushroom masala recipe too
thanks vidhya. i will add the recipe soon.