Yogurt-Marinated Stuffed Bell Peppers (Bharwa Shimla Mirch)

About This Recipe

Bharwa shimla mirch, or stuffed bell peppers, is a North Indian home-style dish where whole peppers are hollowed out and packed with a spiced filling of mashed potato, crumbled paneer, and fresh herbs before being pan-seared until the skins blister and char slightly. It is the kind of dish that stretches a small amount of filling across a satisfying vegetarian main. The filling is bound with whisked yogurt, which keeps it moist and gives it a gentle tang that balances the toasted cumin, garam masala, and green chile. Peppers are typically pan-fried on all sides in a covered skillet rather than baked, a method that chars the exterior while steaming the filling through in about 20 minutes — much faster than an oven. It is popular as a lunchbox item and a dinner side across North Indian households, valued for how well it holds up at room temperature and how easily it adapts to whatever vegetables are in the fridge.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4bell peppers(tops cut off, seeds removed)
• 2medium potatoes(boiled and mashed)
• 150 gpaneer(crumbled)
• 0.5 cupplain yogurt(whisked)
• 1small onion(finely diced)
• 1 tspfresh ginger(grated)
• 1green chile(finely chopped)
• 1 tspcumin seeds
• 1 tspgaram masala
• 0.5 tspturmeric
• 1 tspamchur (dried mango powder)
• 0.25 cupfresh cilantro(chopped)
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 tspfine sea salt

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the filling

   In a bowl, combine mashed potatoes, crumbled paneer, yogurt, onion, ginger, green chile, garam masala, turmeric, amchur, cilantro, and salt. Mix until evenly combined but still a bit chunky.

2. 2

   Toast the cumin

   Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan, add cumin seeds, and toast 20 seconds until fragrant. Stir into the filling mixture.

3. 3

   Stuff the peppers

   Pack the filling firmly into each hollowed pepper, pressing down so there are no air gaps, up to the rim.

4. 4

   Sear the peppers

   Heat remaining oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Place peppers standing upright, cover, and cook 8 minutes.

5. 5

   Rotate and char

   Turn peppers onto their sides and continue cooking covered, rotating every few minutes, for 10-12 minutes total until the skins blister and blacken in spots and the peppers are tender when pierced.

6. 6

   Serve warm

   Let rest 2 minutes, then serve halved or whole with a side of yogurt or mint chutney.

Variations

• •

  Swap paneer for crumbled feta for a tangier, saltier filling.

• •

  Add finely chopped spinach to the filling for extra vegetables and color.

• •

  Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes instead of pan-searing if you prefer a hands-off method.

Storage

Refrigerate stuffed peppers up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a covered skillet over low heat or in a 350°F (175°C) oven until warmed through.

Frequently Asked Questions