Alu Shimla Mirch Sabji (Potatoes with Bell Peppers Stir Fry)

Photo and Recipe Courtesy: Dr. Debarshi Chatterji

For this week’s recipe, I present to you Alu Shimla Mirch Sabji (Potatoes with Bell Peppers Stir Fry). This is a simple stir fry prepared with just a handful of spices. The hot taste of Garam Masala with the tanginess of Mango powder when combined with the sweetness of Potatoes and Bell Peppers gives a unique flavor to the dish. This is a quick dinner option not only for my vegan/ vegetarian friends but also for all those Indian cuisine enthusiasts who love to try new recipes. This Sabji goes very well with hot crispy Parathas but you can also enjoy this with Rice and Dal (Lentils).

I have to admit that growing up, this Sabji was not one of my favorites and I used to look for alternatives. However, when Debarshi asked me to prepare this I couldn’t refuse him and since then I have been preparing this quite frequently. Maybe my taste buds have changed over the years or maybe it’s the addition of all the three types of Bell Peppers but these days I love eating this Sabji. You see, my mom usually prepares this Sabji with only the Green Bell Peppers (which is also the most common type of Bell Pepper available in all Indian grocery stores), but I like to add more colors in my dishes and hence I always use all the three types of Bell Peppers – Red, Yellow and Green. Food experts also suggest to add different colors in our food and that is because every color represents a different nutrient. Now, if you are thinking how are we making this Sabji more nutritious by just adding three different types of Peppers let me tell you something interesting.

All the three Bell Peppers – Red, Yellow and Green come from the same plant. Then how do they differ in color? Because of the difference in their harvesting time. So a Pepper plant will first have Green Bell Peppers which are actually the unripe fruits and if they are left on the plant they start getting ripe and turn to Yellow and finally Red. Since the Green Bell Peppers are harvested first they taste slightly bitter and are the cheapest of three. Also as it is said, Sabr Ka Phal Meetha Hota Hai (Have Patience and You Will Be Rewarded) the same goes for the Peppers. If they are left on the plant for some more time, they turn to Yellow or Orange thus turning slightly sweet and a little more expensive than the Green ones.

Now finally we come to the Red Bell Peppers which have been on the plant for the longest time and are now fully ripe. These are the also the most expensive of all the three Peppers. These are also rich in the Carotenoid Phytonutrients (which act as antioxidants). Plus, they also contain more Beta-Carotene (which gets converted to Vitamin A) and Vitamin C than the Green Bell Peppers and hence are the most nutritious of the three types. Because of their fruity taste and rich red color, Red Bell Peppers are also used to prepare Paprika and Pimento.

So the next time you want to go for a vegetarian option, try this Sabji and do use all the three types of Bell Peppers to make it even more nutritious.

Good food is Indian food.

Ingredients:

• Bell Peppers (Red, Green and Yellow) – Half of each, washed and cut into lengthwise thin slices
• Potato - 1 big russet, washed and cut into thin slices
• Turmeric Powder - ½ teaspoon
• Red Chilli Powder - ½ teaspoon
• Garam Masala - ½ teaspoon 
• Dry Mango Powder- ½ teaspoon
• Oil – 2-3 tablespoon 
• Salt – to taste (about ½ teaspoon)

Directions:

• Heat a wok over medium high heat.
• Add Oil and after a couple of seconds, add the Potatoes.
• Sauté the Potatoes till they look crisp and the color changes to golden red.
• Add the Bell Peppers.
• Sauté both the vegetables for 3-4 minutes then start adding the spices (Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Garam Masala, Dry Mango Powder and Salt) and mix well.
• Keep sautéing the vegetables for another 4-5 minutes.
• Press a piece of Potato with the spatula, if its cooked it will mash or break.
• Switch off the heat and cover the wok for 5-10 minutes.
• Alu Shimla Mirch Sabji is ready. Serve it with hot crispy Parathas or with Rice and Dal.

Tips:

• The thin slices of potatoes will ensure a faster cooking time. Alternatively, you can simply chop both the vegetables.
• Do not add water in it. This tastes great as a dried stir fry. Plus, the moisture of the Bell Peppers will be enough to cook the Potatoes.
• After you turn off the heat cover the wok for 5 minutes, this will cook the vegetables.
• Switch on the exhaust fan so that the fumes coming from the spices are drawn out.
• Keep the heat high while sautéing the vegetables this will make them crisp without over cooking.

Recommended Reading:

• Plain Paratha (Fried Flat Bread)
• Garam masala
• Indian Salad
• Kopi Alur Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Cauliflower with Potatoes)
• Alu Potol Kumror Dalna (Potato, Pointed Gourd and Pumpkin curry)
• Borboti Alur Torkari (Beans sautéed with spices and Potatoes)
• Soa Baigan Alu (Dill sautéed with Eggplant and Potato)
• Bandakopi Alur Torkari (Mamma’s Cabbage in curried Potatoes)
• Alu Shimla Mirch Tamatar Sabji (Potato with Bell Peppers in a Tomato gravy)
• Kathal ki Sabji (Enchor/Jackfruit in a Tomato Curry)
• Alu Peyaj er Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Potatoes with Onion)