Bharwa Shimla Mirch is a delicious recipe of green bell peppers stuffed with spiced potatoes.

Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Cuisine: North Indian, Punjabi
Course: Side Dish
Servings: 3

Ingredients:
– 4 to 5 medium to large Shimla Mirch (capsicum or green bell peppers)
– 4 to 5 medium potatoes or about 180 to 200 grams potatoes
– ⅓ to ½ cup steamed or cooked peas – optional
– 1 small onion, finely chopped or ¼ cup finely chopped onion
-1 green chili, chopped
– ½ teaspoon cumin
– ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
– ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
– ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or as required. – (substitute with ¼ teaspoon lemon juice if dry mango powder is not available. you can also increase the quantity of lemon juice as per your taste)
– ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala
– 2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
– 1 tablespoon oil for sauteing the onions
– 1 or 1.5 tablespoons oil for sauteing the capsicum
– salt as required

Instructions:
Making Stuffing
– First, boil the potatoes till they are completely tender and cooked thoroughly. Peel and grate the potatoes. Keep aside.
– Slice off the tops of the capsicum. Remove the seeds. Rinse them in water and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Keep aside.
– In a small frying pan, heat oil. Fry the cumin first and then add chopped onions.
– Saute the onions till translucent. Add chopped green chilies.
– Stir and then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida. Stir again.
– Add the potatoes and mix everything.
– Saute the potatoes for 2 mins and then add garam masala powder, dry mango powder, and salt.
– Stir well and then add chopped coriander leaves. Mix again and let this spiced potato stuffing become warm or cool down.
– With a spoon or with your hands, stuff the potato mixture in the capsicum.
– If baking, then brushes or rub oil outside the capsicum, before you stuff them with the spiced mashed potatoes.
– Now you can bake the stuffed capsicum in an oven or saute in a pan.

For Cooking Stuffed Capsicum In A Pan:
– Heat oil in a pan or Kadai/wok and place the stuffed capsicum in the pan.
– Cover the pan and allow the stuffed capsicum to cook on a low flame.
– You will have to check often after every 5 to 6 mins and keep on changing the sides of the capsicum so that all sides are cooked well. Check, turn the sides and cover the pan again.
– You also have to place the open potato side touching the pan. The capsicum will get golden and wrinkled.
– Continue to check, change the sides, and then cover again till they are cooked well. It took me about 25 minutes to cook these on a low flame.
– Garnish with coriander or mint leaves and serve this potato stuffed capsicum hot or warm with rotis, bread, or as a side dish.