Make this simple and delicious Aloo Shimla Mirch recipe, a beloved homemade Pakistani dish that’s both healthy and flavorful. Made with fresh potatoes and vibrant bell peppers, this easy-to-make vegetarian recipe is perfect for any mealtime. Enjoy it as a delightful side dish with roti, paratha, or rice, bringing a taste of Pakistan to your kitchen!
About The Recipe
Aloo Shimla Mirch is a popular dish in Pakistan made mainly from potatoes (aloo) and bell peppers (shimla mirch). It’s pretty simple to whip-up, just sauté some cubed potatoes and bell peppers with spices, and you end up with a tasty vegetarian option that goes really well with roti, paratha, or rice.
This dish comes from South Asian cuisine, especially from Pakistan and India, where potatoes are a staple and bell peppers are commonly used in cooking. They’re easy to find and adapt to many everyday meals.
One of the best things about Aloo Shimla Mirch is how easy it is to make. You only need a few ingredients and not much time in the kitchen, making it a go-to for home-cooked meals. Plus, it pairs nicely as a side dish with chicken pulao, so it fits in well with different types of meals.
How To Make Aloo Shimla Mirch (Photo Guide)
Here’s a detailed yet easy-to-understand version of cooking instructions for Aloo Shimla Mirch:
- Begin by pouring some oil into a pan and heating it over medium heat. Once the oil is nice and hot, add chopped onions. Cook them until they turn a golden brown color. This will create a tasty base for your dish.
- Next, toss in the chopped tomatoes. Stir them around and cook until they become soft and mushy.
- After the tomatoes are soft, it’s time to add your spices: salt, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Stir everything together well. Cook this mixture until it thickens into a nice gravy. If it starts to stick to the pan, just add a splash of water to keep it from burning.
- Now, add the diced potatoes to the pan. Give everything a good mix so the potatoes are coated with the flavorful spice mixture. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to low-medium, and let it cook slowly for about 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to check it every now and then. If it looks too dry, you can add about ¼ cup of water to keep it moist and prevent the spices from burning.
- Once the potatoes are tender, take off the lid and add the diced capsicum (bell peppers) to the pan. Stir them in and let them cook for an additional 5 minutes until they become soft but still have a bit of crunch.
- In the last minute of cooking, sprinkle some garam masala powder and dried fenugreek leaves over your dish. To finish, garnish with chopped green chilies and fresh coriander.
Your Aloo Shimla Mirch is now ready to serve! Enjoy it hot with warm chapati and a side of tomato chutney. This combination makes for a comforting, delicious meal that everyone will love.
More Potato Recipes
Palak Aloo
Aloo Baingan
Aloo Masala Curry
Tips For Making The Best Aloo Shimla Mirch
Here are some detailed tips for making the best Aloo Shimla Mirch that are easy to follow:
- Pick Fresh Ingredients: Look for young, firm potatoes and bright bell peppers. Fresh ingredients make a big difference! Cut the potatoes into uniform cubes. This means they should be roughly the same size. If the cubes are too big, they won’t cook evenly, and you’ll end up with some parts mushy and others hard.
- No Water Needed: This is a stir-fry recipe, so you won’t need to add any water. Instead, the veggies will cook in their own moisture. This helps keep the flavors concentrated and delicious.
- Keep the Heat Medium: Make sure your flame is at medium heat throughout cooking. This is super important for stir-frying. If the heat is too high, the vegetables might burn on the outside while staying raw inside. Medium heat lets everything cook evenly and develop a nice flavor.
- Brown the Onions Well: Cook onions well until they’re golden brown. This step is crucial because well-browned onions add a rich, deep flavor to your dish. Just be careful not to overburn them, as burnt onions can taste bitter and spoil the overall taste.
- Add Garam Masala at the End: For that lovely, fragrant touch, add garam masala towards the end of your cooking. This spice blend has fantastic flavors, but if you add it too early, it can overpower the dish. By adding it last, you keep all those yummy smells intact.
Curry Vs. Stir-Fry: Recipe Guide!
Here’s a more detailed, easy-to-understand version of your instructions:
Stir-Fry Style: This recipe is all about stir-frying, which means we’re going to cook the vegetables quickly so they stay a bit crunchy and full of flavor. Just follow the steps in the recipe card exactly, and you’ll end up with a delicious dish!
For a Gravy: If you like your dish with a little bit of gravy instead, you can easily make that happen! When you reach step 3, add about half a cup of water along with the tomatoes masala and after putting potatoes.
After adding the water, cover the pot with a lid and let it cook on low heat for about 5 minutes. This will help everything come together and create a nice, gravy consistency. Once those 5 minutes are up, just continue following the rest of the recipe like normal.
More Vegetable Recipes
Dahi Baingan
Bhindi Masala
Arbi Masala
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Aloo Shimla Mirch ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare it in advance. Store the cooked dish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
What can I pair with Aloo Shimla Mirch?
This dish goes well with a variety of side dishes, such as roti, paratha, naan, or steamed rice. You can also serve it with yogurt, tamatar chutney or raita on the side.
Is there a way to keep the vegetables crisp?
For crisp veggies, avoid overcooking them. Stir-fry on medium heat and keep an eye on them to retain their crunch. Adding capsicum towards the end is key for the crunchy with tasty texture.
Can I use other types of bell peppers?
Yes! While green bell peppers are traditional in this recipe , but you can use red, yellow, or orange bell peppers but know that they have a sweeter flavor.
Aloo Shimla Mirch | Capsicum Potato Curry
Course: MainCuisine: Pakistani, Indian4
servings10
minutes35
minutes280
kcal45
minutesMake this simple and delicious Aloo Shimla Mirch recipe, a beloved homemade Pakistani dish that’s both healthy and flavorful. Made with fresh potatoes and vibrant bell peppers, this easy-to-make vegetarian recipe is perfect for any mealtime.
Ingredients
3 medium size potatoes, diced
1 large size capsicum, sliced or diced
2 medium size tomatoes, chopped
1 medium size onion, chopped
3 tbsp oil
- Spices
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp turmeric powder
0.5 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
- Garnish
3 green chillies, chopped
0.25 or 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Directions
- Begin by pouring some oil into a pan and heating it over medium heat. Once the oil is nice and hot, add chopped onions. Cook them until they turn a golden brown color. This will create a tasty base for your dish.
- Next, toss in the chopped tomatoes. Stir them around and cook until they become soft and mushy. This step helps to blend the flavors together nicely.
- After the tomatoes are soft, it’s time to add your spices like salt, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, and cumin powder. Stir everything together well. Cook this mixture until it thickens into a nice gravy. If it starts to stick to the pan, just add a splash of water to keep it from burning.
- Now, add the diced potatoes to the pan. Give everything a good mix so the potatoes are coated with the flavorful spice mixture. Cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to low-medium, and let it cook slowly for about 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to check it every now and then. If it looks too dry, you can add about ¼ cup of water to keep it moist and prevent the spices from burning.
- Once the potatoes are tender, take off the lid and add the diced capsicum (bell peppers) to the pan. Stir them in and let them cook for an additional 5 minutes until they become soft but still have a bit of crunch.
- In the last minute of cooking, sprinkle some garam masala powder and dried fenugreek leaves over your dish. To finish, garnish with chopped green chilies and fresh coriander.
- Your Aloo Shimla Mirch is now ready to serve! Enjoy it hot with warm chapati and a side of tomato chutney.
Notes
- Look for young, firm potatoes and bright bell peppers. Fresh ingredients make a big difference!
- his is a stir-fry recipe, so you won’t need to add any water. Instead, the veggies will cook in their own moisture. This helps keep the flavors concentrated and delicious.
- Make sure your flame is at medium heat throughout cooking. This is super important for stir-frying. If the heat is too high, the vegetables might burn on the outside while staying raw inside.
Tried this recipe and loved it.
Had this dish in breakfast with paratha.best combo.
I’m so glad to hear that you tried it! ♥️ Comments like yours make my day even better.
This recipe is great for breakfast.