Bisi Bela Bath

Bisi Bela Bath is a popular dish in the Karnataka region of India. It is one of the most important dish in the wedding menu. If Rice and Lentil are cooked and kept ready, Bisi Bela Bath is a very easy to prepare recipe. It resembles Sambar Rice, but tastes different. Tempering with Ghee, Cashews and Asafoetida adds additional flavor to this preparation.

Ingredients

To Roast and Grind

Coriander seeds (Dhania) – 2 tsp

Bengal Gram (Chana Dal) – 1 tsp

Skinned Black Gram (Urad Dal) – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds (Jeera) Seed – ½ tsp

Mustard seeds (Rai) – 1/8 tsp

Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini/Pattai) – 2 pieces

Cloves (Lavang) – 3

Fenugreek (Methi/Vendayam) – 1 pinch

Red Chilli – 6 to 8

Other Ingredients

Rice – 1 cup

Tur Dal (Pigeon Pea) – 1/2 cup

Eggplant (Brinjal) -1

Fresh Green Peas (Vatana) – 3 tbsp

Carrot – 1

Beans – 12

Tomato – 1 finely chopped

Onion – 1 chopped

Peanuts (ground nut) – 2 tbsp.

Jaggery (Gur / Vellam) – 1 tsp

Tamarind Water (Imli Water) – 4 tbsp (from ½ lemon sized Tamarind)

Cilantro- 2 tbsp.

Oil – 1 tsp + ½ tsp

To temper

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Mustards seeds (Rai) – ½ tsp

Cumin seeds (Jeera) – 1 tsp

Red Chilli – 1 broken

Curry Leaves – 1 spring

Cashews – 15

Asafoetida (Hing) – ½ tsp

Preparation:

Heat ½ tsp oil. Roast Red Chilli till crisp and transfer.

Roast all other ingredients together in the roast and grind column in medium flame. Do not allow to burn. When the ingredients become cool, grind to a fine powder along with the roasted Red Chilli.

Clean and cut all the vegetables into medium sized cubes.

Heat 1 tsp of oil. Add Onion and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add Tomatoes.

Cook for a couple of minutes. Add all the vegetables and the peanut. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.

Add 2 cups of water, salt, turmeric powder. Mix well. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or till the vegetables are done.

Add cooked Rice, cooked Dal, Gur (Jaggery), ground Masala powder, Tamarind water. Mix well. Add water to make it into a semi liquid consistency. Cover and cook for 5 minutes in medium flame.

Add Cilantro and mix.

Heat Ghee in a pan. Add all the ingredients under “for tempering” except Hing. Stir fry for a few seconds. Switch off the flame and add the Hing immediately and stir.