Bell Peppers in Spicy Peanut Sauce

Today, we had rotis and bell pepper curry for dinner. I am not a fan of bell peppers. I mean I don’t dislike them, but generally they get a lukewarm response from me. One exception was when I had this bell pepper curry with peanut sauce at a resort in Coorg, Karnataka.  I relished it and so did everyone else in the family. I asked the friendly Chef who was right there and learned that it was a konkani curry (also called Capsicum Kairas sometimes.) Here’s my version with Bell peppers and onions cooked in a spicy peanut sauce made from freshly roasted masalas.

Recipe:

2 medium size bell peppers chopped into 1 inch squares (I used 1 green and 1 red)

2 small onions chopped into 1 inch squares

1 tomato chopped or 1 table spoon tomato paste

1/2 tea spoon grated ginger

1/4 tea spoon turmeric

Approx. 1 1/2 tea spoon salt

1 table spoon oil

For peanut sauce:

1 tea spoon oil

1/4 cup peanuts

6-8 dry red chilies

2 tea spoon coriander seeds

1 tea spoon cumin seeds

1/2 tea spoon urad dal

1/2 tea spoon chana dal

1/2 tea spoon sesame seeds

2 cloves

Note: If you want to skip tamarind, use 2 table spoon of tomato paste or 3 chopped tomatoes instead.

Method:

1. Fry the ingredients for the peanut sauce in 1 tea spoon oil for about 5-7 minutes. When cool, grind into a smooth paste by adding a small lemon size jaggery piece and seedless tamarind piece. You will need to add about 1/3 cup of water to grind. Keep aside.

2. In a pan, fry chopped bell peppers and onions in 1 table spoon of oil for about 10 minutes.

3. Add tomato pieces or tomato paste. stir well and continue to cook for another 5 minutes.

4. Add the peanut sauce, salt and about 1 cup of water.

5. Stir well and let simmer for about 10 minutes.