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Handiہانڈیاردو
Sabzi (vegetables)

Aloo Shimla Mirch Recipe

آلو شملہ مرچ بنانے کا طریقہ

Aloo shimla mirch: potatoes cooked through in a light tomato masala, then capsicum tossed in at the end so it stays green, fragrant and slightly crunchy.
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Illustration of Aloo Shimla Mirch

Prep

15 min

Cook

25 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Spice

Mild

Aloo shimla mirch is a quick dry sabzi that tastes much better than its few ingredients suggest. The potatoes cook first in a simple masala with cumin and tomato; the capsicum goes in only for the last few minutes, so it keeps its colour, bite and sweet, peppery smell. It is a weekday favourite and a reliable lunchbox filling.

Ingredients

4 servings

For 4 servings

Measures

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a wide pan on medium heat. Add the cumin, then the onion, and fry for 2 minutes until it softens a little.

    ⏱ 2 min

  2. Add the ginger-garlic paste, tomatoes, salt, red chilli, turmeric and coriander powder. Fry until the tomatoes soften and the oil separates.

    ⏱ 5 min

  3. Add the potatoes and stir to coat. Add the water, cover and cook on low heat until the potatoes are tender.

    ⏱ 12 min

  4. Uncover, add the capsicum and turn the heat to medium-high. Stir-fry until the capsicum is bright and just tender but still has some crunch.

    ⏱ 4 min

  5. Sprinkle the garam masala and black pepper, toss once and serve.

Tips for the best result

  • Cut the potatoes small so they cook in the same short time; big chunks need more water and the dish loses its dry finish.
  • A mix of green and red or yellow capsicum looks good for guests and tastes a little sweeter.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the capsicum with the potatoes. It goes limp, dull green and slightly bitter.
  • Covering the pan after the capsicum goes in. Steam dulls its colour; keep it open.

How to serve

Serve with roti or paratha, with daal or raita on the side.

Storing and reheating

Keeps 2 days in the fridge. Reheat quickly in a hot pan. Not good for freezing.

Nutrition and cost

Worked out from the ingredients, not measured in a lab. Treat both as a rough guide.

Per serving Estimate

Calories
260kcal
Protein
4g
Fat
14g
Carbs
32g
Fibre
5.4g
Sodium
600mg

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018), public domain values for the raw ingredients (100% of the recipe by weight had data). Deep-frying oil is counted at 20%; bones and water lost in cooking are not subtracted, so bone-in and fried dishes can read high. Not medical advice. Method

Cost per servingEstimate

≈ Rs 30

Whole dish ≈ Rs 120 · 79% of ingredients by weight priced

From the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics weekly SPI, week ended 29 Oct 2026. Spices, herbs and some vegetables are not in the SPI and are left out unless you add your price, so the real cost is a little higher. How this works

Aloo Shimla Mirch: questions people ask

Can I add chicken to aloo shimla mirch?

Yes. Fry 300 g of boneless chicken cubes in the masala until cooked before adding the potatoes, then carry on as written.

Why is my capsicum bitter?

Overcooking brings out bitterness in green capsicum. Add it at the very end and cook only until bright green.

Serve it with, and similar recipes

All sabzi recipes

Read this recipe in Urdu: آلو شملہ مرچ بنانے کا طریقہ

https://handi.danixsoft.com/recipes/aloo-shimla-mirch · Handi, DanixSoft