Aloo Shimla Mirch Recipe (Potato Capsicum Curry)

This easy aloo shimla mirch recipe is a healthy mix of potatoes and capsicum or green bell peppers with onions, tomatoes and a few common spices. It is a dry vegan curry that comes together in 30 minutes and is absolutely delicious with some piping hot roti (Indian flatbread).

If you like the idea of pairing green peppers with potatoes, do check out my bharwa shimla mirch - whole green peppers stuffed with a spicy potato filling. They make for a tasty snack or brunch!

This simple aloo shimla mirch sabzi or curried potatoes and capsicum is Indian vegetarian food at its best. Green peppers (choose smooth, plump peppers) and potatoes are cut into strips and cooked with lots of onions and tomatoes in a wok or karahi. Plus spices like coriander, turmeric, red chilli, and a dash of garam masala lend it some awesome flavor. This delicious 'dry curry' or sabzi is served with whole wheat rotis or chapatis and maybe a pickle or salad on the side as a complete meal. If you dig fresh and wholesome desi Indian food, it doesn't get better this!

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 Instructions
• 🍽 Equipment
• 💭 Top tips
• 🥗 Sides dishes
• 📖 Variations
• Aloo Shimla Mirch (Potato and Capsicum Curry)

🥘 Ingredients

Note: exact amounts are mentioned in the recipe card a little further down in the post.

• Green capsicum or bell peppers - the small, Indian variety of green peppers usually found in Indian groceries are preferred. These have a slightly sharper, more 'raw' taste than their bigger North American cousins. However, if you can't find these, the regular ones available in any supermarket will work quite well.
• Potatoes -small Yukon Gold potatoes work well although russet potatoes can also be used.
• Red onions
• Tomatoes - red, ripe ones
• Cooking oil and salt, to taste
• Cumin seeds or zeera
• Ground spices - coriander, red chilli, turmeric, and garam masala

🔪 Instructions

• Peel the potatoes and cut them into long thin strips.
• Slice the green bell peppers into long thin strips.
• Thinly slice the onions and chop the tomatoes.
• Heat the cooking oil in a wok and add the cumin seeds.
• When the cumin splutters after a few seconds, add the onions and fry until they just start caramelizing (5 minutes).
• Add the tomatoes, sea salt and all the ground spices. Stir until the tomatoes break down and soften (5 minutes).
• Add the potatoes and 2 tablespoons water. Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Add the bell peppers, switch to high heat and stir the mixture for 2 minutes with the help of a spoon.
• Reduce the heat again, add a splash of water if required (not too much), and cover the wok again. Let the sabzi simmer for 5 minutes more or until the potatoes and peppers are cooked through. Aloo shimla mirch is ready to be served.

🍽 Equipment

• A small wok or a karahi with a lid
• A large spoon to stir the curry

💭 Top tips

• I chose to cut the vegetables into long strips, but you can cut them any way you want to really. Just make sure the pieces are small and evenly chopped so they cook easily and quickly.
• Don't over-brown the onions; instead, add the tomatoes just at the point when the onions start changing color.
• Don't be tempted to add too much water or overcook the vegetables. Vegetables in Indian cooking are never under-cooked but mushy and watery sabzi is also no fun. It will definitely lose some of its punch if it turns soggy.
• Once the aloo capsicum curry is ready, squeeze a wedge or two of lemon and sprinkle chopped cilantro leaves and red chilli flakes on top of the sabzi if you so wish. Though not strictly necessary, this will add an extra kick to the sabzi!

🥗 Sides dishes

• Serve this potato capsicum curry with whole wheat roti or whole wheat naan and a fresh salad.
• You can also add a couple of side dishes to make it tastier and more interesting. It goes well with lentil recipes like dal fry (arhar or toor dal), or chana dal, or dry moong dal. And if you are making a dal, go whole hog and make some cumin rice as well! Then go ahead and enjoy your complete Indian meal!

📖 Variations

• Make this recipe with a mixed variety of peppers if you want to! Aloo shimla mirch is traditionally made with small green peppers, but there's no rule saying it can't be made with red, orange or yellow peppers. That being said, do note that it will taste slightly different because these peppers are milder and sweeter than the green ones.
• Use less red chilli to make it kid-friendly.