Bisi Bele Bath Recipe

Bisi bele bath or Bisi bele huli anna is a traditional and most popular dish of Karnataka made with rice, lentils and mixed vegetables. Bisi meaning hot (temperature), bele meaning lentils and huli meaning sour, anna meaning rice. Bisi bele bath is dal and rice cooked together with tamarind and spice powders. As the name suggests it has to be served hot. It tastes best when seasoned in ghee and served hot.

Ingredients:

Raw rice - ¾ cup

Tur dal (pigeon peas) - 1 cup

Bisi Bele Bath Masala Powder - 4 tbsp

Tamarind - 1 small lemon size

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

Jaggery - 2 tsp

Oil - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste

Mixed Vegetables to add:

Shallots (sambar onions) - 10 to 15

Tomatoes - 2

Drumstick - 1

Brinjals - 2

Avarakkai (Broad beans) - 8

French beans - 5

Carrot - 1

Capsicum, small - 1

For Seasoning:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Cumin seeds - ½ tsp

Whole dry red chilies - 3

Cashew nuts - 10

Asafetida - 1/8 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Ghee - 2 to 3 tbsp

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in warm water. Extract pulp and keep aside.

2. Wash tur dal and rice together. Place them in pressure cooker, add 6 cups water and cook for 4 whistles. Keep aside for the pressure to release.

3. Peel shallots, cube the tomatoes. Chop drumstick, French beans and brinjals into finger length size. Chop carrots, capsicum, avarakkai (broad beans) and keep aside.

4. Heat a pan with 2 tsp oil. Add shallots (sambar onions) and sauté till pink. Add rest of the vegetables and cook over low flame for 2-3 mins stirring well.

5. Add ½ cup water, salt, mix well and let it come to a boil. Cook over medium flame for 3 to 4 mins. Add tamarind extract and reduce flame. Cook for 5 mins over low flame till the vegetables are cooked fully. Switch off stove.

6. Open the pressure cooker, add salt and mash the rice and tur dal well. Transfer the cooked vegetables along with the water, 4 tbsp bisi bele bath masala powder, turmeric powder, jaggery mix well and let it cook over low flame for 5 mins till the water gets absorbed and the bisi bele bath thickens considerably.

7. Heat a pan with ghee. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add cumin seeds and let it sizzle. Add broken cashew nuts, roast till it becomes golden brown. Add asafetida, broken whole dry red chilies and curry leaves and sauté till the leaves become crisp.

8. Pour this tempering over the simmering rice and mix well.  Switch off stove.

Bisi Bele Bath is ready to be served. Scoop some onto the plate. Drizzle more ghee on top. Serve piping hot with potato chips or kara boondhi.