Capsicum Masala Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked rice (each grain should be separate, add a tsp of ghee to the rice and combine)
1 tbs Butter
2 big capsicums (bell peppers – thinly sliced)
A bunch of coriander leaves
salt to taste
Dry roast the following items and ground to a fine powder:
1 tsp mustard seeds
A bunch of fresh curry leaves
3-4 dry red chillis (adjust to your spice level)
1 tbsp coriander seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black gram dal (minappappu)
1” cinnamon stick (dal chinichakka)
3 tbsp roasted peanuts

1. Dry roast cumin seeds and black gram and fry till the cumin splutters and the dal turns light brown. Add the coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, curry leaves and dry red chilies and fry further for another minute till the rawness disappears and the flavors come out. Finally add the roasted peanuts and combine with the other spices for a few seconds and turn off heat. Once cool, grind to a make a fine powder.

2. In the same vessel, add butter and once it’s hot add the sliced capsicums and fry them for approx 3 minutes. Don’t over cook them; let the capsicums retain their crunchy texture. Add salt to taste and combine well.

3. Reduce heat and add the cooked rice and combine with the spice mixture.

4. Add the grated coriander leaves ground masala powder and combine with the rice till it’s well mixed.

5. Serve hot with any gravy curry of your choice or with just pickle, yogurt.