Bisi Bele Bhath

Although this is not something that we cook very often in our kitchen, it does go onto our ‘Soul Food’ list, just because it is super easy to make, filling and healthy. I love that this can be a 1 pot meal (Like described below). I usually use a store-bought spice mix to do mine. Alternatively, you can make your own Bisi Bele Bhath powder. This below is how we did ours.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Rice

3/4 Cup Toor Dal (split pigeon peas)

2 Tbsps. Coconut Oil

2 Tsps. Black mustard seeds

2 Tsps. Cumin

2 sprigs Curry Leaves

½ Tsps. Asafetida Pwdr.

1 dried red chili

2 Tbsps. Cashew nuts/Peanuts

1 Med. Onion chopped fine

3 Tbsps. Bisi bele Bhath Pwdr. (MTR)

1.5 Cups Chopped Mixed Vegs (Carrots, Green beans, Peas, Corn, capsicum)

½ Tsps. Tamarind paste

1 Tbsps. Crushed/Grated/powdered Jaggery

2 Tbsps. Ghee/Butter

5 cups water

Salt to taste

How we did it:

Wash the rice and Toor dal and soak in a little water and set aside.

In a heavy bottom pot, heat the coconut oil and add the mustard and cumin. When they splutter, add the curry leaves, red chili, nuts and Asafetida. Add the onions and sauté some more until transparent. Add the Bisi bele Bhath Pwdr., Vegetables, tamarind and jaggery.

Drain out the water from the soaked rice and dal and add it to the pot. Add salt to taste. Mix in the 2 Tbsps. Ghee/Butter and add the 5 cups of water. Cook on medium flame until the rice and dal are completely cooked.

**I use a pressure cooker for this instead of a regular pot. So, after the above, I close the lid, apply the weight and cook on ‘High’ for up to 6-7 whistles**

***PS TIP *** Although essentially above completes the Bisi Bele Bhath recipe, at our table we like ours best when it’s a porridge like consistency. So, after it has cooked I switch the cook top back on and add another 1-1.5 cups water and cook some more. Served with an extra tsps. of ghee/butter.

  In our house we like to slurp it, piping hot. A perfect wholesome meal on a cold rainy day.

Bon Appetite.