Bisi bele bath means hot lentil rice in Kannada, and it is said to have been refined in the kitchens of the Mysore palace. It is a one-pot meal of rice and toor dal cooked soft, mixed with vegetables, tamarind and a special spice powder, and served piping hot with a generous spoon of ghee. In Bengaluru it is a standard dish at darshinis, weddings and temple feasts.
The texture is porridge-like and loose, never dry, and it thickens as it cools. The masala, with roasted chana and urad dal, coriander, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves, marathi mogu and dry coconut, gives it a complex, warm, tangy flavour. The ideal plate comes with crunchy khara boondi or potato chips on the side.
At a glance
| Region | Karnataka |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Kannada |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Main course |
| Prep time | 25 minutes |
| Cook time | 40 minutes |
| Total time | 65 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Medium |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | rice / toor dal / tamarind / mixed vegetables / ghee |
Ingredients
For the bisi bele bath powder
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1 tbsp urad dal
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 8 Byadgi chillies
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 4 cloves
- 1 marathi mogu
- 2 tbsp dry coconut (kopra), grated
- 1 tsp poppy seeds
For the bath
- 3/4 cup sona masoori rice
- 1/2 cup toor dal
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 5 cups water
- 2 cups mixed vegetables: carrot, beans, peas, potato, chow chow, drumstick
- small lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp grated jaggery
- 1.5 tsp salt
For the tempering
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 15 cashews
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida
- 10 shallots or small onions, peeled (optional)
Method
- Dry roast the coriander, dals, cumin, fenugreek, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and marathi mogu on low heat for 5-6 minutes until fragrant and the dals turn golden. Add coconut and poppy seeds in the last minute. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
- Wash the rice and dal together and pressure cook with turmeric and 4 cups water for 4-5 whistles until very soft. Mash lightly.
- Cook the vegetables in a large pot with 1 cup water and a little salt for 8-10 minutes until tender.
- Add the tamarind extract, jaggery and salt to the vegetables and boil for 5 minutes until the raw tamarind smell is gone.
- Mix 4 tbsp of the spice powder with a little water to a paste and stir it in. Simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add the mashed rice and dal and mix well. Add hot water to get a loose, porridge-like consistency; it will thicken as it stands. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
- For the tempering, heat ghee, splutter mustard seeds, fry cashews until golden, then add curry leaves, asafoetida and shallots and fry until the shallots soften. Pour over the bath and mix.
- Serve hot with an extra spoon of ghee on top.
Tips
- Always keep bisi bele bath looser than you think it should be; it sets firm within minutes.
- The leftover powder keeps for a month in an airtight jar.
- Byadgi chillies give colour without too much heat; use fewer Guntur chillies if substituting.
Serve with
Khara boondi, potato chips or papad, with raita or curd on the side.