Bisibele Bhath

I love to prepare one pot meals and what if they are healthy and nutritious too. Here, I am sharing with you another such recipe from the state of Karnataka. It's Bisibele Bhath. In English it translates to 'hot lentile rice'. The procedure is elaborate but once you taste it you will not regret all the efforts put in.

The backbone for this rice and lentils preparation is its masala powder. I always make it fresh because freshly ground masala has the maximum flavour and makes this dish special. Cooked rice and toor dal are mixed with some vegetables and the bisibele bhath masala is added along with the tamarind pulp. A generous amount of ghee and a flavourful tempering of curry leaves and cashews and the healthy meal is ready to eat. Normally served with masala boondi and a cooling raita it tastes best.

All the spices that go in to make the bisibele bhath powder are in the picture below. I have also mentioned the exact measurements in the detailed recipe. They have to be dry roasted till they emit strong aroma and ground to a very fine powder.

Bisibele Bhath

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/2 cup Toor Dal 

1/2 cup Rice (any short grain rice)

2 Small tomatoes (roughly chopped)
Lemon size ball of tamarind soaked in 1/4th cup warm water
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste

Vegetables

1/4th cup each - Peas,Beans,Radish,Carrot,Potato and onion.

1 tbsp Ghee to cook the vegetables

Bisibele Bhath Masala

1 tsp  each - Chana Dal, Urad Dal, Sabut Dhaniya, Khas Khas.

1/2 tsp Jeera

1/2 tsp Methi seeds

4 -5 Dry Red Chillies

2 pieces of marathi moggu

1 inch Cinnamon

4 Black pepper Corns

2 Cloves

1/4 th cup Dry coconut powder

2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

Dry roast Chana Dal, Urad Dal, Sabut Dhaniya, Jeera, methi seeds, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves. As they start turning golden add the dry red chillies and khaskhas. Dry roast on low flame for 30 - 40 seconds. Remove in a plate. Add the kashmiri red chilli powder to it. Now in the same pan dry roast the dry coconut powder till light brown on low flame. Keep stirring else it will burn. It will take 20 - 30 seconds. Add it to the other roasted spices and grind to a fine powder. You can add little water while grinding. It should look like this.

For tempering

8 - 10 cashews
10 curry leaves
Few mustard seeds
Pinch of Hing
1 tbsp Ghee

Method

• Soak the dal and rice for an hour. Pressure cook them together along with the tomatoes for 3 whistles.
• In a deep pan take 1 tbsp ghee and saute all the vegetables.
• While the vegetables are cooking, take another pan and prepare the bisibele bhath masala.
• Once the vegetables are soft add the tamarind pulp and stir it for half a minute.
• Now add the complete masala prepared. If needed you may add water to the mixer jar to extract all the masala after grinding.
• Let this simmer for a minute and then add turmeric powder and cooked dal and rice.
• Mix well and pour 2 cups of water into it and add salt to taste.
• Let this simmer for 4 - 5 minutes.
• Prepare the tempering with ghee, hing cashews and mustard seeds. 
• Pour it over the Bisibele bhath and switch off the flame. 
• Serve with masala boondi or any kind of raita.

Serve this healthy one pot meal to your family and make them happy.

Till then,

Stay Happy Stay Healthy!