Karnataka Style Bisi bele bath | Hot Lentil Rice

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Bisi bele bath is a one pot flavourful, aromatic and one of the tastiest food I ever made. I am falling short of adjectives here, but this is one of the best meal we ever had. We enjoyed it piping hot with some papadum and yogurt on the side. It was like Atma trupt food for us on that day. We we’re full but we were craving for more and more.

I started my Mega BM preparation with this and made this on Padwa, the next day of Diwali. I have already made this 3 times from that day and it has become my DH’s favourite. The process of making this is a bit lengthy, specially when you are making the Bisi bele bath masala from scratch. But it is worth the effort. I now have prepared this masala in bulk so that it saves some time. I have included the masala recipe too in the post below, will create a separate post some time later.

Bisi bele bath is a spicy rice based dish from the state of Karnataka, India. It translates to hot lentil rice dish and is a wholesome meal. What I love about this dish is that it has rice, lentils, vegetables all together. The vegetables get sneaked in the rice and lentils and that is a winning point for me.

A bit of planning and time is needed in this recipe, but it is surely a winner for your get together or potlucks. I have followed this recipe from here. So no more talking and straight to the recipe:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup toor dal
• 1 cup rice (sona masoori preferred, I have used Basmati)
• 8-10 nos of beans
• 1 medium sized carrot diced
• 1 cup cabbage chopped / Cauliflower florets
• 1/2 Cup Brinjal diced (1 small – optional)
• 1/4 Cup capsicum (optional)
• 1 potato diced
• 2 tbsp soaked ground nuts
• 2 medium sized tomato chopped
• 1 small gooseberry sized tamarind
• 2 tbsp soaked green peas / or fresh peas
• 1 small lemon sized Jaggery
• Salt as per your taste

Bisi bele bath masala powder

• 2-4 red chilly
• 1 tsp channa dal
• 2 tsp Urad dal
• 1/4 tsp meethi/fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp jeera/ cumin seeds
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• A big pinch of Gluten Free Asafoetida (Hing) **Please see Notes
• 1/2 finger length cinnamon
• 10 cloves/lavang
• 1 cardamom
• 1 tsp poppy seeds/ khus khus
• 2 tbsp dessicated coconut/grated coconut
• 1/2 tsp cooking oil

Ingredients required for tempering Bisi bele bath

• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp chana dal or gram dal
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 8-10 cashews
• 7 – 8 curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 6 tsp ghee or cooking oil

Instructions

Bisi Bele Bath masala powder

• In a pan add 1/2 tsp of oil.
• On medium add red chilis and fry.
• When chilies are roasted add in the chana dal and urad dal.
• Fry them until slightly roasted.
• Now add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and coriander seeds.
• Fry them for a few seconds.
• Add in cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Fry again for few seconds.
• Add in asafoetida and poppy seeds. Fry for few more seconds.
• Do not bury them or else switch off the gas.
• Once cooled, transfer it into a mixer jar.
• Add in the coconut and grind everything to a fine powder.
• Bise Bele Bath Masala Powder is ready.

Initial preparation for Bisi Bele Bath

• Wash and rinse the toor dal well.
• I soak the toor dal for 30 minutes, as it really takes time to cook, you can skip if required.
• Now in a large size pressure cooker (5 ltrs or more capacity), add in the soaked toor dal.
• Add a pinch of turmeric powder, 2 c ups of water and pressure cooke for 2 whistles.
• We are cooking the dal only half at this stage.
• Chop all the vegetables and keep it ready.
• Clean the rice and soak it along with ground nut.
• Once the dal is done and the pressure subsides, add in the rice, ground nut and peas and Vegetables.
• Add in 4 cups of water, salt to taste and cook again for 2 whistles.

Tempering of Bisi Bele Bath

• In a pan, add in oil.
• Once hot add mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal and cashews.
• Once urad dal turns brown,add turmeric powder, curry leaves and switch off.
• Add in the ground bisibele bath masala powder and mix.
• Add in salt, jaggery, tamarind extract and mix.

Assembling the Bisi Bele Bath

• Once the pressure subsidies, open the lid of the pressure cooker.
• The rice, dal and the vegetables would be cooked properly.
• Now either you can add the tempered masala to the cooker or you can add the cooked dal, vegetables and rice to the tempered msala.
• I prefer the first one.
• Add enough water and adjust to right consistency. Bisi Bele Bath is of thin consistency.
• Mix everything, switch on the stove and bring tghe mix to a boil stirring continously.
• Serve it with a dollop of ghee, with some papad and dahi.

Notes

• Asafoetida (Hing) powder available in shops contains wheat and is not gluten free. Gluten intolerant people can either skip completely or opt for Gluten Free Asafoetida (Hing)

Recipes shared in this series:

• Samak Rice Khichdi | Vrat ke Chawal | Farali Khichdi
• Farali Kuttu ki Khichdi | Buckwheat Khichdi
• Jowar Khichdi | Sorghum Khichdi
• Gluten free Jowar pulao | Sorghum pearls pulao
• Bajre ka Bhat (Pearl millet one pot meal)
• Pearl Barley Pulao
• Savory 10 minutes Vegetable Oats Upma
• Daliya & Split Green Moong Dal Khichdi

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