BISI BELE BHATH l BISI BELE HULIANNA l MASALA BHATH

Bisi bele bhath is a spicy, rice-based dish with origins in the state of Karnataka, India. Bisi bele bhath, which translates to 'hot lentil rice dish' in Kannada language, is a wholesome meal. It is said to have originated in the Mysore Palace and from there spread across the entire state.
  
I love this dish  as one of my neighbour used to give me this.  It is a dish which includes the dals and vegetables along with rice.

I have used the masalas of my version and not the original one.  If anybody is not finding time to prepare the authentic masala, then they can opt for my method of preparing it.

I shall give below the original version also.

I love to eat this rice along with Pappadams, Appalams, Karuvadam and Onion Raita.

Bisibele Bhath

When I was carrying my daughter, I was craving for this dish.  I told one of my colleague to make it because she was from Karnataka, she said she does not know how to make it.  Finally, before my delivery, I  happened to be to my  family Doctor's house in the night when she was ready to eat her dinner.  She just asked me casually, Raji, Bisibela bhat khayegi, before she could finish the sentence, I  ran to her kitchen, pulled out a plate and took out some rice out of the cooker.  She gave me some karuvadam, vadiyum, papad etc. to eat along with it.  Piping hot from the cooker, I really enjoyed it.

When I checked with her the recipe, it was a long process.  Today, I wanted to make it as I was running short of time and everyone was hungry.  So I decided to make it and the recipe is here.  I adopted a simple method and it was lovely.

If you see the ingredients of the recipes in any of the sites, you will get a long list.  All those ingredients are included in the Garam masala except one or two.    So I decided to make  this way.

While preparing in the cooker, must ensure that it does not get burnt from the bottom.  or you can cook the same directly on a thick bottom vessel which you can check very often.


Let us look at the recipe now:

                                      
                                     Bisibele Hulianna l Bisibele Bhat

                                  Broken wheat Bisibele bhat l Lapsi Bisibele Bhat


Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice
3 tbsp Tuvar dal
1 tsp Sambar powder
1 tsp Garam masala powder
2 tbs Tamarind pulp
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Curry powder      (optional)
1 Cardamom or pinch of cardamom powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
10 Shallots (sambar onion, cheriya ulli, chinna vengayam, pearl onions)
salt
3 tsp Ghee

Vegetables viz. beans, carrots, green peas (any vegetables of your choice) 1/2 cup
1 Tomato finely chopped.

Tempering:

1 tsp Oil
2 Tsp Ghee
1 tsp Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
1 Tej patha/Bay Leaf
A small piece of Jaggery


garnishing;

Chopped coriander leaves
Fried cashews ( optional) 6-8

Method:

Step 1

Wash and soak the Rice and Dal together for 30 minutes.  In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and  2 tsp ghee, add the Mustard seeds. When it splutters, add Curry leaves,  Tej patha, Onion  and saute the  same, then add the vegetables and saute for 5 minutes.  

Step 2

Drain the Dal and Rice and put in the cooker along with the vegetables. Saute for another 5 minutes.  Add the Tamarind pulp, Sambar powder, Garam masala powder, Curry powder, Chilli powder,  Tamarind pulp, Salt, Turmeric powder, Cardamom powder.  Add three to four  cups of water and pressure cook the same for 3 whistles. 

How to serve: 

Serve hot  garnished with Chopped coriander leaves and Fried cashews (optional) with Onion raita, Tomato raita , Papad, Laruvadam, Vadiyum etc.

Variation:  

You can grind the whole masalas and make it.  Since it  was  time consuming for me  a  bit, I adopted the above method.  

ORIGINAL RECIPE:

1/2 Cup Rice

1/4 Cup Tuvar Dal 

Masala:

2 Tsp Coriander Seeds,

2 Tsp Bengal Gram

1 Tsp Urid dal

1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds

Less than 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

1-2 Pods of Cardamom or a pinch of Cardamom powder

1/2" Cinnamon/Dalchini

2 Cloves

1 Tbsp Kopra / Dry coconut or you will get grated dry coconut in the store

1 Tsp Poppy Seeds

1/2 Tsp  White Sesame seeds 

5 - 6 Kashmiri Red chilli

1 Sprig of Curry leaves

A generous pinch of Asafoetida/hing powder

2 Tsp Ghee + 1 Tsp Oil

Vegetables:  or  of your choice

1" Pc Carrot or a small carrot or half of a carrot

2-3 French Beans

Fistful of Green Peas or 1 Tbsp (fresh or frozen)

A small Potato or 1/2 of a potato

 4-5 Shallots (Madras Onion)

Salt

 Others:

1 Tbsp Raw Peanuts

1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder

1/4 Cup Tamarind Pulp

A small bit of Jaggery

6-8 Cashes fried

Chopped coriander leaves

1/4 Cup Kara Boondi or Mixer

Tempering:

2 Tsp Ghee

1 Tsp Mustard seeds

2 Red Chilli

Few Curry leaves

Pinch of Asafoetida

Method:

Step1

Wash and cook the Dal and Rice separately in pressure cooker.

Step 2

Dry roast all the masala items except Red chilli and Curry leaves.  Put oil and fry the red chilli as well as Curry leaves.  Cool and grind to a smooth powder.

Step 3

Cook the Vegetables with a cup of water, Turmeric Powder and little salt.  When it is half cooked, add the Tamarind Pulp, Peanuts, Jaggery and cook till the vegetables are done.

Step 4

Add the Cooked Rice and Dal in the vegetables and 2 Cups of water, 2 tsp of the ground masala of Step 2.  Add 2 tsp of Ghee,  check the Salt and add as required. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes till the Masala is blended well with the Rice, Dal and Vegetables.  Consistency should be bit watery as it is likely to get thickened when cools down. So Adjust water accordingly.

Step 4

Heat remaining ghee, fry the Cashew and take out.  Put the tempering items in it.  Pour it on the Bisi Bele Bhath.  Add the Cashews and garnish with Coriander leaves.

How to serve:

Serve hot with Kara boondi, Papad, Fryms, Kurdai etc.

NOTE:  YOU CAN REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF GHEE IF YOU WISH.

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