Bisi Bele Bath Recipe – Sharmis Passions

Bisi Bele Bath is a traditional and popular dish from Karnataka Cuisine. It is made by cooking rice with dal along with a special spice mix called Bisi Bele Bath powder, vegetables, tamarind extract, jaggery syrup, tempered spices and cashews. Learn to make Bisi Bele Bath with the help of step by step pictures and video.

Bisi Bele Bath can be made easily if you have the spice mix ready. Traditionally Bisi Bele Bath is made without vegetables but here I have added it to make mixed vegetables to make it whole some but you can skip if you want. Traditionally, it is considered a festive or special dish in Karnataka and is loved for its comforting taste.

About Bisi Bele Bath

‘Bisi’ means hot, ‘Bele’ means dal / lentils and ‘Bath’ means rice So Bisi Bele Bath translates to a hot spicy dal rice. Bisi Bele Bath is a wholesome meal made by cooking rice, dal, bisi bele bath powder, tamarind extract, jaggery syrup, tempered spices and cashews.

Bisi Bele Bath is a gift to India & the world from Karnataka. The recipe seem to have originated from the kitchens of Mysore Palace and then had spread throughout the world. It is a wholesome one pot meal.

Bisi bele bath recipe a popular one pot meal in Karnataka. The name Bisi Bele Bath is a Kannada phrase, which means “hot lentil rice”. In Kannada, Bisi means hot, Bele means lentil, and bath means a dish made of rice. If you have the spice mix ready then making Bisi Bele Bath is so easy and quick.

I haven’t tasted Bisi Bele Bath much in hotels but have heard so much about the taste of it in MTR that I very badly want to taste it there. Bisi bele bath is usually served with boondi, raita or plain curd.

Bisi Bele Bath is a no onion, no garlic one pot wholesome dish, It can be made with or without vegetables. The magic proportions of rice, dal, spice mix and a generous dose of ghee makes this dish taste out of the world.

In olden days, Bisi Bele Bath was made without vegetables but later hotels started using vegetables and now everywhere it is the same. But if you want to enjoy the authentic taste of Bisi Bele Bath then skip the vegetables but if you want to make it more wholesome and healthy then use it.

Bisi Bele Bath tastes best with homemade Bisi Bele Bath powder. I have used homemade Bisi Bele Bath powder for this recipe – however, we can buy it from store as well – MTR being popular!

Homemade Bisi Bele Bath Powder Recipe

Bisi Bele Bath Ingredients

• Rice – You can use regular rice or raw rice which will suit best for this recipe.
• Dal – Use toor dal, rinse it well and cook it along with rice.
• Salt, Turmeric powder – Salt is added to taste and turmeric powder to cook along with rice, dal.
• Cashews – Cashews is fried in ghee and used. You can add peanuts too.
• Jaggery – It adds a balance of spice level so I recommend adding it.
• Bisi Bele Bath Powder – I always prefer to use homemade bisi bele bath powder. I always have a batch in stock.
• Vegetables – I have used carrot, peas and beans. You can skip vegetables and make it too.
• Tamarind – Tamarind is soaked in water and is extracted. This adds a tangy taste to this dish.
• Ghee – A generous use of ghee makes this recipe more yummy. Homemade ghee makes this dish more tastier and flavorful.
• Tempering – A basic tempering is made using ghee / oil, mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves and red chilies.

How to make Bisi Bele Bath Step by Step

1.Rinse ½ cup rice along with ¼ cup toor dal well. Drain water and set aside.

2.To a pressure cook add rinsed rice, dal along with ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon oil and 3 cups water.

3.Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles or until it is mushy. Let pressure release by itself, mash it slightly with the ladle and set aside.

4.Soak 1 lemon sized tamarind along with 1 cup water, mix it well. Strain and extract. Discard the remains.

5.Tamarind extract is ready.

6.Add 3 tablespoon bisi bele bath powder to a bowl, add ½ cup water mix it well without lumps and set aside.

7.Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a kadai add 1 cup mixed vegetables. I have used carrot, peas and beans. Sauté for a minute.

8.Add 3 cups water, salt to taste.

9.Cook covered for 10-12 minutes or until the vegetables are done.

10.Check if it is soft.

11.Add prepared tamarind extract, along with 1 tablespoon jaggery.

12.Add bisi bele bath masala mix. Add salt if needed.

13.Give a quick mix and let it boil for few minutes until raw smell leaves.

14.Add cooked rice, dal.

15.Mix it well, if it is too thick adjust with little hot water. If it is to runny boil in medium flame until thick but keep an eye to make sure that it does not burn at the bottom.

16.Heat 1 and ½ tablespoon ghee – add around 15 cashews. Fry until golden brown, remove and set aside.

17.Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, let it crackle then add few curry leaves, 2 small red chilies and ¼ teaspoon hing – let it splutter.

18.Add prepared tempering t along with 1 and ½ tablespoon ghee and fried cashews. I reserved few for garnish. Give a quick mix and switch off.

19.Hot delicious Bisi Bele Bath is ready!

Serve with a dollop of ghee along with boondi and curd.

Expert Tips

• How much ever ghee you add it absorbs so reserve ghee for serving. Add just half of ghee when its getting cooked just for flavour.
• Add enough water for the rice and dal to cook.It should be goey and not too dry.
• I used homemade spice mix, if you are using storebought then add 3.5 tablespoon.
• You can also add peanuts for garnishing, and skip cashews.

Serving Suggestions

Tastes best when hot! Bisi Bele Bath gets hardened when it gets cold. So taste hot! For the same reasons, it is not preferred for lunch box, travel packs. However you can add some hot water, ghee reheat and serve hot for later use within a day! Since Bisi Bele Bath is a wholesome meal, a separate curry is not needed. A simple raita, chips make the combo perfect tasty!

FAQS

1.When to make Bisi Bele Bath?

Bisi Bele Bath is best to be made for lunch. I have a stock of Bisi Bele Powder always at home and make this when I run out of veggies. We cook Bisi Bele Bath once in a fortnight at home and for special days like Birthdays, Anniversary or home functions.

2.Should we cook rice and dal separately?

I recommend cooking them together for authenticity and saving time.

3.Will the dish taste good without veggies?

Yes -traditionally bisi bele bath is made without vegetables only. Trust me they taste heavenly even without veggies. Give a try and post your feedback!

4.What is the difference between Sambar Rice and Bisi Bele Bath?

The spice mix is the key differentiating factor. Sambar powder has equal proportions of Chana dal, toor dal & urad dal while Bisi Bele Bath does not call for chana dal and has toor dal as the primary ingredient. Bisi Bele Bath powder has more flavouring spices like poppy seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves which are not part of Sambar powder.

5.My Bisi Bele Bath has turned out thick – What should I do?

This is because of less water while cooking. You can add hot water to the mix and heat it to bring it to the desired consistency.

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