Simple Besan-Capsicum Sabji – from Maharashtra

Simple Besan-Capsicum Sabji – from Maharashtra. I often describe it as a delicious Maharashtrian stir-fry to folks who have never had it before! It is one of my favorite vegetable recipes, and no one made it better than my Mom!

The term ‘Stir-fry’ inevitably conjures up images of Chinese food, cooked up in a flash, and all-too-often with a just a little too much oil. In reality though, the stir-fry technique for cooking food is not unique to Chinese food. It is pretty universal, all across the globe. Also, the stir-fry technique does not really have to be super-fast, nor does it have to have ‘too much’ oil.

The ‘Stir-Fry’

So, what exactly is a stir-fry? A pretty simple concept, really. Heat up some oil, add the food, add the seasonings and stir until cooked. If using high heat, you must stir the food constantly, so it doesn’t burn. If using lower heat, you only need to stir it periodically.

Which method is better? Depends…!

The tastes and textures produced by high heat cooking and low heat cooking are often dramatically different. How come?

High heat methods often employ more fat: why? Hot fat quickly heats food to high temperatures, which shortens the cooking time. It also browns and caramelizes the food a little, raising its “oomph” factor in both appearance and flavor. Indeed, this is probably why many stir-fried foods are rather high in fat, especially those made at fast-food restaurants or by street vendors.

By contrast, cooking on lower heat certainly takes longer. How much longer? About 15-20 min for most foods, compared with the typical 3-5 min for the high-heat method. However, the longer cooking time allows more complex flavors to develop as the ingredients cook in their own juices. The added seasonings, too, have time to get absorbed – almost like marinating the food. The taste and texture, while naturally different from the high-heat stir-fry, is just as delectable, if not even more so!

Indian-style Sookhi Sabji

Several Indian vegetable recipes employ the lower heat method. The general names used to describe some of these dishes indicate the appearance of the finished dish. Called Sookhi Sabji (Soo-khee Sub-jee) in Hindi, Suki Bhaaji (Soo-kee Bhaa-jee) or Kordi Bhaaji (Koa-rdee Bhaa-jee) in Marathi – the words literally translate to ‘dry vegetable’. This simply means that there is no sauce, curry or gravy – it is a “dry” vegetable – akin to how oven-roasted vegetables look.

Capsicum (green bell pepper), which is very popular all over India, is often cooked as a Sookhi Sabji. The seasonings, though, vary quite a bit from region to region – a North Indian Sabji tastes very different from a South Indian Sabji, or one from Bengal, or one from Gujarat or Maharashtra. If you like Capsicum, perhaps you might also wish to check out the Paneer-Capsicum Stir-fry recipe that I posted recently.

Peeth-Perleli Bhaaji – so very Maharashtrian!

In Maharashtra, a popular twist on many stir-fried vegetables is to add roasted Besan (Bay-sun – Bengal Gram flour, similar to chick pea/garbanzo flour). Typically, folks season and cook the vegetable fully before sprinkling pre-roasted Besan on top. The dry Besan draws liquid from the cooked vegetable. The subsequent steaming cooks the Besan in these flavorful juices, giving the finished vegetable a somewhat ‘dry’ look. Another typically Maharashtrian touch is to add crushed roasted peanuts to the ‘finished’ dish, just before serving. Yumm!

Widely popular, this style of cooking vegetables has a special name. It is called Peeth-Perleli Bhaaji in Marathi. Peeth means flour; Perleli (Pay-r-lay-lee) means ‘sprinkled with’; and Bhaaji means vegetable. This type of Bhaaji is usually served as part of a full meal – along with hot chapatis, rice, a salad, Dal, etc.

Why add Besan and peanuts? They both add a nutty, delectable taste and texture, while also bumping up the protein and fiber content of the Sabji. The simple seasonings allow the flavor of the Capsicum to pop. So, from a nutritional perspective, a Roti-Sabji meal with this delicious Sabji is as wholesome as it is scrumptious. A piece of fresh, hot chapati, wrapped around this simple Besan-Capsicum Sabji … my mouth is watering already!

Dietary Restrictions

This Sabji is gluten-free, soy-free and vegan. It has no onions or garlic, and you can easily make it nut-free, by omitting the crushed peanuts. Or, if you like, replace the peanuts with sunflower seeds or crushed pumpkin seeds.

My Mom’s tips

My personal Gold Standard for this simple Besan-Capsicum Sabji is the way my Mom made it. I learned from her that the secret to a really great Peeth-Perleli Bhaaji is to make sure that the Besan is properly roasted both before adding to the vegetable, as well as after. Does that mean it takes a bit longer before it is ready to serve? Not a lot, actually… because you can roast the Besan while the capsicum cooks on a pan nearby. As for the few extra minutes it takes to roast it well after adding the Besan? Hey, once you taste it, you will agree that the little bit of extra time is so completely worth it!

I hope you make and enjoy this much beloved dish from Maharashtra. If you do, please leave a review and a rating. I would love to get your feedback.

Enjoy!

Simple Besan-Capsicum Sabji – From Maharashtra

Cook diced capsicum with a tadka made with mustard and cumin seeds, turmeric and hing; when half-cooked, add remaining seasonings and cook, covered, till tender. Meanwhile roast besan with a little oil till golden and fragrant. Sprinkle Besan on top of cooked capsicum, stir, cover and cook. Add crushed roasted peanuts, cover and cook briefly, Garnish with cilantro and serve with Roti/Naan.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 4 servings

Calories 98 kcal

Equipment

• Microwave oven – for roasting Besan; if not available, roasting can be done on stove-top in a stainless steel or cast iron frying pan, or a carbon-steel wok. A non-stick pan is NOT recommended for roasting the Besan (dry roasting can damage the non-stick coating)
• 10 inch non-stick frying pan (or wok) preferred; if not available, an un-coated stainless steel/cast iron/carbon steel pan or wok can be used, but more oil will be needed to prevent sticking and burning during cooking.

Ingredients

  

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• 250 g Green Capsicum (bell pepper): diced small 1 large capsicum, cut into 1/4 inch or slightly bigger pieces – about 2 cups; about 1/2 lb; also called Simla Mirchi, Dhobli Mirchi, Bhopli Mirchi, etc.
• 1/4 cup Besan fine grind- if not available, coarse grind OK; also called Chana flour or Bengal Gram flour; if not available, use Chickpea flour or Garbanzo bean flour (the taste/texture is a bit different)
• 2 tsp Oil: divided – 1/2 tsp + 1 1/2 tsp Peanut oil preferred; other edible oil OK too; do NOT use extra-virgin olive oil for this recipe
• 3/8 tsp Salt adjust as per preference
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder (cayenne) adjust as per spiciness preference
• 1 tbsp water adjust as needed to get the right consistency and texture for the Sabji

For Tadka

• 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp Hing; powder (Asoefetida)
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Garnish

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) rinsed and chopped
• 2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts (optional) coarsely crushed; unsalted preferred;

Instructions

 

• Rinse and dice the capsicum into even-sized pieces. Remove the thick white membrane and all the seeds.
  
• Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a shallow, 10 inch, non-stick frying pan (a wok is OK too); Make Tadka: the oil is hot – it will start to smoke just a little.

  Turn heat to lowest setting; add mustard and cumin seeds and cover immediately to catch the splatter as they pop.

  Turn heat off and immediately add hing and turmeric.
  
• 
• 
• Turn heat on again, to low-medium setting..

  Add diced capsicum; stir to mix with the Tadka, Cover with a tight lid and cook on high for about 1 min. Then turn down the heat and continue to cook for 4-5 min.
  
• 
• While the capsicum is cooking,, roast the Besan in the microwave.

  Add 1/2 tsp oil to the Besan in a glass/ceramic microwave-safe bowl – do NOT use plastic bowl for roasting. the mixture becomes very hot and the plastic can start breaking down. With the back of a spoon, mash the lumps to distribute the oil evenly into the Besan.

  (For stove-top roasting directions, please see Recipe Notes)
  
• Roast the oil-Besan mixture in the microwave, till the overall color becomes a light golden-brown hue and the mixture becomes fragrant with a roasted aroma. It will take about 3-4 min total for this to happen. Do not let it become too dark- it might taste bitter.

  Heat for 30 sec on hi; remove and stir well to distribute heat evenly. Repeat heating for 30 sec, stirring again, closely observing the color and watching for the roasted aroma to be given off.

  Continue the 30 sec heating and stirring for a few minutes- you will soon see the Besan start to brown in the middle, especially near the bottom.

  NOTE: If you don't stir it well in the interval between the heating periods, any hot-spots will start to burn.
  
• While roasting the Besan, also keep an eye on the capsicum. Remove the lid carefully, and let the condensed steam, which collects on the underside of the lid, drip back on to the pepper pieces in the pan. Stir gently to mix evenly.

  The capsicum will look bright green and is about half-cooked at this point.

  Sprinkle salt, sugar, chilli powder and coriander powder evenly. Do NOT stir replace cover and cook 3-4 min on low-medium heat.
  
• 
• Remove the lid carefully,. again letting the condensed steam (collected underneath) drip back into the pan.

  Stir gently, cover and cook on low for 3-4 min to allow the spices to become well-roasted. You will see the color change and you will smell the roasted coriander.
  
• 
• Sprinkle 1 tbsp water, stir to let the roasted spices absorb the added moisture. Cover and cook 2-3 min longer to fully cook the capsicum – it should look very tender and plump.

  Sprinkle the pre-roasted Besan evenly over the top of the cooked capsicum. Stir gently to coat the pieces with the Besan.
  
• 
• Cover and cook on low medium heat for 3-4 min.
  
• Remove the lid carefully, collect the condensed steam as before. Sprinkle about 2 tbsp water evenly. Stir gently – this may be easier to do with 2 spoons/spatulas.

  Cover and cook again – 3-4 min to allow the Besan to become fully cooked.
  
• Taste-test a little bit of the Besan to check for done-ness: it should not have a raw taste. The Besan Masala should look and smell well-roasted.
  
• Top with crushed roasted peanuts.
  
• Cover and steam it one last steam for 1-2 min
  
• Garnish with chopped fresh coriander (cilantro).

  Serve hot with Phulka, Roti, Naan, Pita or tortillas for a stand-alone meal,

  or serve it as part of a .full Indian meal, along with rice, Dal, etc.
  
• Enjoy!

Notes

Roasting Besan on Stove-top :

• Add 1/2 tsp oil to the Besan in a stainless-steel or cast iron frying pan;
  • do NOT use a non-stick coated pan- dry roasting for extended times can damage the non-stick coating on the pan 
• With the back of a spoon, mash the oil-filled-clumps to distribute the oil evenly into the Besan.
• Heat pan on medium-high heat; Roast, with constant stirring till the overall color darkens to a light golden-brown and for it to become fragrant.
  • Decrease the heat if it looks like it is browning too fast.
    
• It will take about 7-8 min total for this to happen. Do NOT let it get too dark- that will taste bitter.

Storing Leftovers :

• Store leftovers in the refrigerator – consume within the next 2 days.
• You can also freeze leftovers in a shallow container with a well-fitting lid.Do not pack down too tightly.
• To thaw and reheat the Sabji, remove the lid and set on the counter for 20 min or so. Sprinkle a little water, cover and heat in the microwave on 40-50% power for 2-3 min or until steaming hot.. Add a bit more water , if it looks extremely dry, but be sure to heat it thoroughly to properly incorporate the added moisture.
• If reheating on the stove-top, transfer to a non-stick pan, sprinkle a bit of water, cover and heat on a low setting until steaming hot. Stir, if needed to prevent burning/scorching.

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 4gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 260mgPotassium: 234mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 355IUVitamin C: 51mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Besan, Bhopli Mirchi, Capsicum, Dhobli Mirchi, Green Bell Pepper, Maharashtrian, Roasted Besan, Sabji, Stir-Fry

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