Bharwan Shimla Mirch (Paneer-Soy Stuffing)
Punjabi stuffed capsicums, filled with a spiced paneer and soy-granule mixture and roasted until the peppers soften and char.
- Region
- Punjab
- Status
- Adaptation — paneer and soy granules replace the usual potato stuffing
- Diet label
- Strictly vegetarian, egg-free
- Time
- Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min
- Serves
- 3 (2 capsicum halves each)
- Difficulty
- Easy–moderate
- Good for
- Dinner, guests
- Tags
- High protein · Lower-carbohydrate (dish only) · Whey-free · No added sugar · Gluten-free* (dish only)
- Allergens
- Milk, soy; gluten (roti)
Nutrition (estimated)
- Calories
- 370 kcal
- Protein
- 22 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Headline values are for the full plate.
| kcal | Protein | Carbs | Fat | Sat fat | Fibre | Total sugars | Protein per 100 kcal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stuffed capsicum only | 230 | 18 g | 16 g | 10 g | 4 g | 7 g | 8 g | 7.5 g |
| Dinner plate: capsicum, 1 roti, salad | 370 | 22 g | 43 g | 11 g | 4 g | 13 g | 11 g | 6.0 g |
High protein. Values checked against IFCT 2017 on 14 Oct 2026.
Ingredients
- 3 medium capsicums (about 450 g), halved lengthwise and deseeded
- Stuffing: 120 g full-fat paneer, crumbled · 40 g soy granules, dry · 60 g onion, finely chopped · 60 g tomato, finely chopped · 40 g green peas · 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste · 1 green chilli · ½ tsp turmeric · 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder · 1 tsp amchur · ½ tsp garam masala · 4 g salt · 2 tbsp coriander
- 10 g groundnut or mustard oil
- Plate: 105 g whole-wheat atta for 3 rotis · 300 g salad
Method
- Soak soy granules in hot water 10 minutes; drain and squeeze dry.
- Heat 6 g oil; cook onion 4 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and chilli, then tomato and spices; cook 3 minutes.
- Add granules and peas; cook 3 minutes. Off the heat, fold in paneer and coriander.
- Fill the capsicum halves generously, pressing the stuffing in.
- Oven: brush the capsicums with the remaining oil and roast at 200 °C for 20–25 minutes until soft and lightly charred. Pan: cook covered on low in a wide pan, 12–15 minutes, until the capsicums are tender.
- Serve with roti and salad.
Protein optimisation
- Paneer supplies 7 g per serving, soy granules 7 g, peas and capsicum 2 g.
- Boost: increase soy granules to 60 g (+3.5 g protein, +25 kcal per serving).
Variations, serving and storage
- Regional: Rajasthani stuffing — add 1 tsp crushed fennel and a pinch of hing.
- Substitution: large tomatoes or round gourd (tinda) as cases.
- Storage: 2 days refrigerated; reheat in the oven.
- Food safety: refrigerate within 2 hours.
- Meal prep: make the stuffing a day ahead.
Nutrition values are estimates calculated from the Indian Food Composition Tables 2017 (ICMR-NIN) and typical product labels. They have not been laboratory-analysed and will vary with your ingredients, brands and cooking. Recipes are for healthy adults and are general information only, not a substitute for advice from a doctor or qualified dietitian. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, cooking for children, have food allergies, or live with kidney disease, diabetes or any other medical condition, please take professional advice about your diet. From the collection Protein-Rich India by Dr. Shantanu Deshpande · drshantanudeshpande.com