This is a delicious South Indian style palya/curry that I learned from my mother. It involves roasting capsicum/green peppers and onions and then simmering them in a coconut based gravy. It’s such a simple and healthy curry, but the gravy makes it feel so decadent! It’s often eaten with Akki Roti (roti/chappati made with rice flour), but it tastes great with regular chappati/roti as well.
I have always noticed a unique flavor to my mom’s capsicum curry that I haven’t tasted anywhere else. When I learned the recipe from her, I figured out that the key lies in a special tempering she adds at the end. Keep reading to find out more!
I hope you love this dish as much as my husband did! He even said that it tasted exactly how my Mom makes it. Excuse me while I recover from that immense compliment! 😉
Capsicum Curry
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian4
servings15
minutes30
minutes90
kcalA South Indian style Capsicum Curry in a coconut based gravy
Ingredients
- Masala Paste
1/4 cup dried/desiccated coconut
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup water
- Masala
2 tbsp oil
4 medium yellow onions (thinly sliced/ julienned)
2 medium green bell peppers/capsicum (thinly sliced/ julienned)
Salt to taste
2 cloves garlic & a handful finely chopped cilantro (smashed together)
1 tbsp jaggery
Instructions
- Heat a small frying pan at a low flame. Add the following ingredients one by one (sauté each ingredient in between): 1/4 cup dried/desiccated coconut, 3 tbsp kadley/daliya/roasted gram split dal, 2 tbsp white sesame seeds, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp red chili powder, and 1/4 tsp turmeric.
- After roasting all the ingredients for the masala paste, let cool for a few minutes. Then, transfer to a blender or food processor. Grind with 1/2 cup water into smooth masala paste. Keep aside.
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a sauté pan at a medium flame.
- Add 2 medium yellow onions (thinly sliced/ julienned) to the oil.  Sauté till translucent.
- Then, add 4 medium green bell peppers (thinly sliced/ julienned). Cook covered for a few minutes.
- Once the peppers are mostly cooked, pour in the masala. Mix well. Add more water if required to achieve desired consistency of gravy.
- Add salt to taste and let cook for a few more minutes until the gravy starts to bubble.
- While the curry is cooking, add 2 cloves of garlic and a handful of finely chopped cilantro to a mortar and pestle. Smash well and then swirl into the Capsicum Curry.
- Finally, add in 1 tbsp of jaggery. Mix well and then take off flame. Enjoy hot! 🙂
Notes
- This recipe works best with green bell peppers. Other colors may change the look and taste.
- I find that the single serve of my Ninja blender works best to grind masala powders and pastes.
- There are many versions of this recipe. This is my tried and true version that I learned from my Mother. I hope you love it!
- Vegan Option: This recipe is vegan. 🙂
Did you make this recipe?
I hope you all try this recipe out! I would love to see your own adventures in cooking! Please take a pic and share them with me on Instagram/Facebook @chaitrascreations.
