Capsicum Chutney Bell Pepper Chutney

About This Recipe

Traditional South Indian chutneys are thick and creamy dips made with coconut or fresh veggies. They typically are served with main meals and snacks, including breakfast dishes or simple plain steamed rice. This capsicum chutney recipe is great for making a fresh and tasty dip that compliments everything from akki roti to idli fry and rava dosa. Tangy red peppers are sauteed and blended with lentils and dried coconut. Then combined with a tempering of mustard seed and curry leaves for a chutney layered with intense flavors. You can make the chutney with green or yellow bell peppers if you prefer or only have these available. The taste will be a bit different, but you’ll still create a rich, bright condiment that is delicious with any number of mains or side dishes.

How to make capsicum chutney

Frying lentils and sautéing capsicum

1. The first step is to sautee the lentils. For this recipe I use two different split and husked lentils, urad dal (split and husked black gram) and chana dal (split and husked bengal gram). Set a large, deep skillet or frying pan over low heat on the stovetop. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil (gingelly oil made from raw sesame seeds) or your preferred oil to the pan. Once hot, add 1 teaspoon of the urad dal and 1 teaspoon of chana dal. You can use just one or the other type of lentil, if that’s what you have available or prefer.
2. Fry the lentils over the low heat until lightly browned. Continuously stir and be careful that they do not burn.
3. Then add 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds.
4. Mix and fry for some seconds or until the sesame seeds start to crackle.
5. Next, add 1 dried red chili, 6 to 7 curry leaves and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing). To make a gluten version, either the source the gluten-free asafoetida or skip adding it.
6. Mix very well.
7. Next add 1.5 cups of chopped and seeded red capsicum (bell pepper).
8. Mix well again.
9. Taste, and add salt as needed.
10. Mix again and continue to saute the capsicum mixture over low heat.
11. Cook for 6 or 7 minutes, until the bell peppers soften.
12. Then add ¼ cup desiccated (shredded and dried) coconut and ½ teaspoon of dried tamarind. You can also add fresh coconut instead of desiccated coconut. You can swap ½ teaspoon of tamarind pulp with dried tamarind.
13. Mix very well and turn off the stovetop heat.

Blending Chutney

14. Let the mixture become cool a bit at room temperature. Then add it to a spice grinder jar, food processor or blender, along with ⅓ cup of water.
15. Grind or blend until creamy and smooth. You might need to work in batches to blend the full batch.
16. If the chutney seems a bit too thick, feel free to add a splash of water and blend again. But be careful to not add too much water – you want the capsicum chutney to be more like a dip than a sauce. Transfer the chutney to a bowl, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the grinder or blender jar.

Tempering chutney

17. A tempered oil is a terrific way to add deep flavor to dishes. For this recipe, first heat 2 teaspoons of sesame oil (gingelly oil made from raw sesame seeds) or your preferred cooking oil in the same pan used to fry the lentils and peppers. Once hot add ½ a teaspoon of mustard seeds.
18. Fry until the mustard seeds start to crackle. Then add 4 to 5 fresh curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida (optional). Combine, stir and switch off the heat.
19. Pour the tempering mixture together with the oil into the chutney, and mix well.
20. Serve capsicum chutney fresh with South Indian snacks like Idli, Dosa, Adai, Medu Vada, Uttapam, or Punugulu. You can also serve it with akki roti, as a side with steamed rice, or with your favorite savory dishes.

Other healthy chutneys you might like:

Tomato chutneyOnion chutneyCarrot chutneyOnion-tomato chutneyBeetroot chutney

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This capsicum chutney recipe post from the archives (April 2017) has been republished and updated on 2 June 2021.

title: “Capsicum Chutney Bell Pepper Chutney " ShowToc: true date: “2024-09-05” author: “Francisco Viola”

About This Recipe

Traditional South Indian chutneys are thick and creamy dips made with coconut or fresh veggies. They typically are served with main meals and snacks, including breakfast dishes or simple plain steamed rice. This capsicum chutney recipe is great for making a fresh and tasty dip that compliments everything from akki roti to idli fry and rava dosa. Tangy red peppers are sauteed and blended with lentils and dried coconut. Then combined with a tempering of mustard seed and curry leaves for a chutney layered with intense flavors. You can make the chutney with green or yellow bell peppers if you prefer or only have these available. The taste will be a bit different, but you’ll still create a rich, bright condiment that is delicious with any number of mains or side dishes.

How to make capsicum chutney

Frying lentils and sautéing capsicum

1. The first step is to sautee the lentils. For this recipe I use two different split and husked lentils, urad dal (split and husked black gram) and chana dal (split and husked bengal gram). Set a large, deep skillet or frying pan over low heat on the stovetop. Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil (gingelly oil made from raw sesame seeds) or your preferred oil to the pan. Once hot, add 1 teaspoon of the urad dal and 1 teaspoon of chana dal. You can use just one or the other type of lentil, if that’s what you have available or prefer.
2. Fry the lentils over the low heat until lightly browned. Continuously stir and be careful that they do not burn.
3. Then add 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds.
4. Mix and fry for some seconds or until the sesame seeds start to crackle.
5. Next, add 1 dried red chili, 6 to 7 curry leaves and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing). To make a gluten version, either the source the gluten-free asafoetida or skip adding it.
6. Mix very well.
7. Next add 1.5 cups of chopped and seeded red capsicum (bell pepper).
8. Mix well again.
9. Taste, and add salt as needed.
10. Mix again and continue to saute the capsicum mixture over low heat.
11. Cook for 6 or 7 minutes, until the bell peppers soften.
12. Then add ¼ cup desiccated (shredded and dried) coconut and ½ teaspoon of dried tamarind. You can also add fresh coconut instead of desiccated coconut. You can swap ½ teaspoon of tamarind pulp with dried tamarind.
13. Mix very well and turn off the stovetop heat.

Blending Chutney

14. Let the mixture become cool a bit at room temperature. Then add it to a spice grinder jar, food processor or blender, along with ⅓ cup of water.
15. Grind or blend until creamy and smooth. You might need to work in batches to blend the full batch.
16. If the chutney seems a bit too thick, feel free to add a splash of water and blend again. But be careful to not add too much water – you want the capsicum chutney to be more like a dip than a sauce. Transfer the chutney to a bowl, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the grinder or blender jar.

Tempering chutney

17. A tempered oil is a terrific way to add deep flavor to dishes. For this recipe, first heat 2 teaspoons of sesame oil (gingelly oil made from raw sesame seeds) or your preferred cooking oil in the same pan used to fry the lentils and peppers. Once hot add ½ a teaspoon of mustard seeds.
18. Fry until the mustard seeds start to crackle. Then add 4 to 5 fresh curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida (optional). Combine, stir and switch off the heat.
19. Pour the tempering mixture together with the oil into the chutney, and mix well.
20. Serve capsicum chutney fresh with South Indian snacks like Idli, Dosa, Adai, Medu Vada, Uttapam, or Punugulu. You can also serve it with akki roti, as a side with steamed rice, or with your favorite savory dishes.

Other healthy chutneys you might like:

Tomato chutneyOnion chutneyCarrot chutneyOnion-tomato chutneyBeetroot chutney

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. This capsicum chutney recipe post from the archives (April 2017) has been republished and updated on 2 June 2021.