What is Bharwa Shimla Mirch?
Bharwa means stuffed and Shimla Mirch are bell peppers! Bharwa Shimla Mirch has various versions. You can fill it with grains, beans, meat, sauces but the most common filling used in Indian cuisine is spiced potato mash. Sometimes, grated paneer is also added to pack it with protein. This stuffed bell pepper is a great dish to use your creativity and make it as per your taste buds. Neither Arvind nor I are a big fan of this vegetable but once in a while, the craving hits. I like to make it the simplest way possible and pair it with daal and rice.
Key Notes while making Bharwa Shimla Mirch
One key note while making this bharwa Shimla Mirch is seasoning! Don’t forget to season the pepper before adding the filling. If you miss this part, the overall flavor will not come out and the skin will taste very bland. Make sure the filling is not too wet or else, the peppers won’t stay crunchy as it cooks.
Back in India, the bell peppers are tiny and perfect for individual portions. It even looks very neat with the top sliced, filled, cooked. You can then place the top back for that pretty presentation. It can make a great centerpiece at the dinning table. The ones that we get here are quite large. So, I prefer to slice it half unless of course, you absolutely love the veggie and can eat an entire large pepper.
Method of Cooking
I prefer to bake it in the oven as it cooks evenly, but you could also slow cook it in a pan that has a tight lid. You could also sear it on the pan to get a nice golden crust on the filling and then, put it in the oven to finish the final cooking.
Either way, it’s tastes great and makes a fine meal just on its own, even without something else to pair with it. However, I grew up eating it with daal and rice and still prefer the same.
Here are few Indian daal recipe you can pair this dish with:
Masoor Palak Daal (Red Lentil Spinach Stew)
Tetor Daal (Bitter Gourd Yellow Mung Stew)
Mung Bean and Kale Daal
