Bisi Bele Bath recipe

Bisi Bele Bath is famous and authentic recipe of karnataka. We normally prepare bele bath on auspicious occasions or during festivals. This bele bath recipe serves for 3 to 4 people but prior preparation for this recipe is important.

Bisi Bele Bath Ingredients:

1 Cup Green beans, carrots, navil kosu or Indian turnip, green peas or frozen peas...

1 Large Onion

3 Large Tomatoes blanched

2 Green chillies slit

1/2 Lemon

2 Tbsp Coriander Leaves

3 Sprigs Curry Leaves

1/2 + 1/2 Tsp of Chilli Powder

1/2+1/2 Tsp of Turmeric Powder

salt to taste

Dry masala:

2 tbsp split chick peas = channa dhal

2 dried red chilli

1 inch piece of cinnamon

3 cloves

1 pinch of fenugreek seeds

1 tsp black pepper corns

1 tsp of cumin

1 tbsp of sesame seeds

1 pinch of asafoetida or hing

1/2 tsp of red chill powder

1/2 tsp of turmeric powder

2 tbsp of dried coconut powder

For Rice:

1 cup rice

1/3 cup pigeon peas = thoovar dhal

For Tempering:

2 tbsp oil and 1 tsp ghee for tempering

1 tsp of mustard seeds

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida

For Garnish:

Finely Chopped Coriander

1 Tbsp Tamarind pulp or lime juice 

3 Tbsp Ghee

First Step:

pre cook the vegetables with salt  chilly powder and turmeric powder leaving the green chillies and onion for frying also blanch 3 tomatoes or you can use canned or tomato puree.

Second Step:

Heat a wok on medium flame dry roast all the ingredients mentioned above. transfer the roasted spices on a plate allow to cool. Grind the masala to powder format and reserved. We can prepare this masala powder in a air tight container and store upto 3 weeks. 

Third Step:
wash and soak the rice for 5 to 10 mins, drain excess water before adding to the cooker. Add the rice and dhal to the cooker and cook for 3 whistles. Water ratio to cook rice and dhal for 1 cup rice its 2 cups water and for 1/3 cup dhal its 1 cup water we added 4 cups water to get a mushy rice and dhal. 

Final Assembly:

Heat oil and ghee in a wok  . Add mustard and allow to splutter then add the chopped onions and fry till transparent. Add 1 pinch of asafoetida and fry add curry leaves and blanched tomatoes fry. 

Add chilly powder, turmeric powder and fry well. add this tadka  and cooked veggies to  the cooked dhal and rice adjust salt  as per taste. Bring 1/2 cup of water  to  boil add dry ground masala to the water and mix into the bele bath mix the masala well. We can either add 1 tbsp tamarind pulp or lime juice place on low flame for a minute and serve very hot with ghee, pickles boondi and potato chips...Enjoy.... :)

Kept this old pic for memories...