Bisibelebath

Bisibelebath is a delicious one-pot meal which has a flavour that is unique to the state of Karnataka in India. Bisi-bele-bath means hot-lentil-rice.This is an ideal Sunday afternoon meal which I love to cook very often. I prepare this dish with regular white rice for my family and a twist with brown rice for myself.

Ingredients - Serves 4

• Rice - 1 cup
• Toor dhal - 1/2 cup
• Tamarind extract - 1/2 cup
• Chana dhal - 2 tbsp
• Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
• Dry chilli - 5 to 6
• Coconut grated - 2 tbsp (you can also use dry coconut to enhance the flavour of the dish)
• Vegetables - 2 cups (Small onions, carrot, beans, peas, potato, tomato and drumsticks)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Few curry leaves
• Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick
• Oil - 2tbs
• Ghee - 1tbs
• Cashewnuts - few for garnishing
• Salt to taste

Method

• Add turmeric powder to rice and dhal along with 4 cups of water and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles
• Heat 1 tbsp of  oil in a pan and fry chana dhal, coriander seeds, coconut and red chilli until it turns golden brown
• Cool and grind into a smooth paste by adding water
• Heat the pan with oil and add mustard, curry leaves, cinnamon, all vegetables and fry for few minutes
• Add tamarind extract and required salt for vegetables
• Cover with lid and allow it to boil until the vegetables get cooked 
• Now add the grounded paste and bring to boil to get a nice bisibelebath paste
• Mash the cooked rice and dhal with laddle or potato masher and add required salt
• Mix the mashed rice to the boiling bisibelebath paste
• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee fry cashew nuts and pour it over the hot bisibelebath
• Serve hot with raita or chips

Brown rice recipe - Pressure cook 1 cup of brown rice with 1/2 cup of dhal. Mash well and add required salt, mix it with the bisibelebath paste. Garnish with cashewnuts.

Nutritional Information

• Toor dhal is rich in fibre and protein
• Vegetables (carrot, beans, onion, tomatoes, drumstick and peas) lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of heart disease and some types of cancers
• Serves 4 = approximately 1000 calories