A delicious and easy-to-make lunch box rice recipe featuring capsicum and potatoes, perfectly spiced with vaangi baath powder. Watch the detailed video below to see how I prepare this potato-capsicum rice in a pressure cooker and how I serve it.
Packing lunch boxes is a daily task for many of us. Variety rice recipes are a great option because they are quick to prepare and stay moist when packed. You’ll find plenty of lunch box recipes on the blog, so don’t forget to check them out!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
This potato capsicum rice pairs well with raita and can be ready in under 30 minutes. Using a pressure cooker simplifies the process. Yes, some chopping is required, but capsicum and potatoes are among the easiest vegetables to cut. If you love this combination, you might also enjoy my potato capsicum curry with panch phoron spice.
Though it’s an ideal lunch box recipe, it’s perfect for any meal. In fact, it’s a fantastic choice for bachelors looking for a simple, satisfying dish. You can easily swap the potatoes and capsicum for other vegetables. The vaangi baath powder adds incredible flavor, making this recipe incredibly versatile. I often use it in BBB (Bisi Bele Bath) and other South Indian rice recipes like ridge gourd rice and zucchini rice.
Ingredients needed
To Temper: Oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves.
Aromatics: For this potato capsicum rice, I used only onion, but you can also include a couple of crushed or chopped garlic cloves for added flavor.
Vegetables: Potatoes and capsicum are essential for this recipe. While green capsicum adds a vibrant touch, I also used red capsicum for extra color. Feel free to skip it or use any other colored bell peppers of your choice.
Spices: Vaangi baath masala is the only spice blend needed for this dish. I opted for store-bought masala for convenience.
Rice: I prefer using sona masoori rice for this recipe. Though I have tried basmati, my go-to choice remains sona masoori as it yields fluffy rice when cooked in an electric or regular pressure cooker, provided it’s aged rice.
Apart from these ingredients we need salt, water and cilantro. Please check the recipe card for exact measurements.
Dietary Specifications
- Vegetarian
- Gluten-Free (ensure the asafoetida is gluten-free)
- Vegan-Friendly (skip ghee)
- Nut-Free
VVK Tip
To prevent discoloration, soak the chopped potatoes and capsicum in water before cooking.
How to make potato capsicum rice in Instant Pot
- Turn on the Instant Pot and set it to sauté mode. Once the display indicates it is hot, add oil. After about 30 seconds, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
- Next, add the chopped onion and sauté until it turns soft and translucent. Then, mix in the chopped potatoes, capsicum (both colors), vaangi baath powder, and salt. Stir everything well. Pour in 2 cups of water, making sure to scrape the bottom to prevent sticking. Add the rinsed rice and cilantro and mix well.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the vent to the sealing position, and cook in rice mode. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the lid and gently fluff the rice using a fork.
- Serve hot with raita or any curry of your choice.
Recipe Notes
- If vaangi baath powder is unavailable, substitute it with a mix of sambar powder and garam masala.
- You can use other grains instead of rice, adjusting the water and cooking time accordingly:
- Brown or hand-pound rice: Use 2.5 cups of water per cup of rice and cook for 20 minutes.
- Millet, quinoa, or basmati rice: Use 1.5 cups of water per cup of rice, cook for 2 minutes, and release pressure after 5 minutes.
- Adjust salt and spice levels to suit your taste.
- Storage: This rice stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat before serving.
Enjoy your potato-capsicum rice with raita, papad, or curry!
Stove-Top Pressure Cooker Method:
For those using a stove-top pressure cooker, follow the same steps for tempering and sautéing the vegetables. Then:
- For sona masoori rice, cook for three whistles.
- For basmati rice, cook for one whistle.
- For millet, cook for two whistles.
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Loved this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Potato Capsicum Rice
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
Ingredient Details: 1 cup = 240ml; 1 tbsp = 15ml; 1 tsp = 5ml;
- ½ tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp asafoetida
- 5 to 6 curry leaves
- 120 grams onion a little over ¾ cup
- 140 grams of potato one big potato, 1 cup
- 120 grams green capsicum one medium-sized
- 38 grams of red capsicum optional 1.5 cups capsicum
- 1 tbsp vaangi bhath powder
- 1 tsp ghee optional
- 1 cup sona masoori rice
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Turn on the Instant Pot and set it to sauté mode. Once the display indicates it is hot, add oil. After about 30 seconds, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
- Next, add the chopped onion and sauté until it turns soft and translucent. Then, mix in the chopped potatoes, capsicum (both colors), vaangi baath powder, and salt. Stir everything well. Pour in 2 cups of water, making sure to scrape the bottom to prevent sticking. Add the rinsed rice and cilantro and mix well.
- Secure the Instant Pot lid, set the vent to the sealing position, and cook in rice mode. Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the lid and gently fluff the rice using a fork.
- Serve hot with raita or any kurma of your choice.
Video
Notes
- If vaangi baath powder is unavailable, substitute it with a mix of sambar powder and garam masala.
- You can use other grains instead of rice, adjusting the water and cooking time accordingly: Brown or hand-pound rice: Use 2.5 cups of water per cup of rice and cook for 20 minutes.
- Millet, quinoa, or basmati rice: Use 1.5 cups of water per cup of rice, cook for 2 minutes, and release pressure after 5 minutes.
- Adjust salt and spice levels to suit your taste.
- Storage: This rice stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days—reheat before serving.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
Originally posted in 2018, this recipe has now been updated with a recipe card, fresh images, and nutritional details.
Delicious one. Sure must taste awesome.
Perfect one pot dish to make yourself. It is so easy and delicious.
:-) :-)
Lovely rice. Vangi bhath powder comes in handy to prepare a lot of rice dishes with several veggie combinations.
Agreed :-)
A yummy rice.
I tried your recipe and it was yummy. Thanks vidya
Thanks a lot shwetha. If you have a picture do send it across.
Sorry vidhya, I didn’t click pic, will do it next time
No problem :-) Thanks for trying.
Love this combination in anything, such a flavourful rice.
Thanks Priya
ooohhh yummyliscioussssssssssss
Thanks
I like repurposed ingredients. Makes the dish so flavorful.
:-) :-)
Never used vangi Bhaat powder in capsicum rice.Sounds so flavorful ..
It turned out pretty good :-)
Very good one, I am sure it would have tasted great!
Thanks :-)
I always feel that the addition of capsicum adds flavor to any kind of rice.
True :-)
Such an easy bachelor recipe…totally agree with your point on vaangi baath powder, that gives a great flavor to the rice…
Vaangi bath is a total life saver pa
Love capsicum rice.. Potato is grt addition to the rice
Thanks pa
very nice :) I love the capsicum rice my mom makes – she always grinds the powder but i skip it due to lack of time/motivation :) using vangi baath powder is a great idea! will try it!
Awwww niths welcome here n you made my day.
I must try making rice in a pressure cooker…the capsicum rice looks delicious.
I cannot live without pressure cooker :-) I have three different ones. ;-)
Never gave much importance to Vaangi bath powder, will try this next time
:-) I usually add it to bisibele bath.. Let me know how it turned out
Drooling…
:-) :-)
Lovely use of vangibhath powder .. This is one of my fav !!
Thanks :-)
Store bought powders come handy when we are in a rush! Lovely recipe!
Absolutely.. :-) Thanks
Nice one, Vidhya! Just logged on and saw this recipe. :-)
:-) :-) Thanks Aruna