Bisi Bele Bath

Ingredients (20)

• ·cup rice
• ·cup toor dal
• ·cups mixed vegetables
• ·tsp turmeric
• ·tsp salt
• ·tsp oil
• ·cups water
• ·small lemon-sized piece tamarind
• ·tbsp Bisi Bele Bath masala
• ·tbsp ghee
• ·tsp mustard seeds
• ·tsp peanuts
• ·pieces cashew nuts
• ·springs curry leaves
• ·hing
• ·Guntur red chillis
• ·tomatoes
• ·onions
• ·capsicum
• ·tbsp jaggery

1. 1

   Wash 1 cup rice and ½ cup toor dal, add them to a pressure cooker along with 1½ cups mixed vegetables, then add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp oil and 5 cups water, pressure cook for 3–4 whistles until everything becomes very soft and well cooked, then mash lightly and keep aside.

2. 2

   Soak one small lemon-size tamarind in warm water, extract a thick juice and keep it ready, and measure 3 tbsp Bisi Bele Bath masala.

3. 3

   Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a large deep kadai, add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp peanuts and 10-12 cashew, 2 springs of curry leaves, a pinch of hing, Guntur red chillis and cook it for 40-50 seconds allowing them to splutter well, then add tomatoes, onions and capsicum, cook it well and then add the tamarind extract and Bisi Bele Bath masala, mix and boil for 4–5 minutes until the raw smell goes away.

4. 4

   Add the cooked rice-dal-vegetable mixture to the kadai, mix thoroughly, add hot water little by little to achieve a flowing, slightly loose consistency, and simmer on low flame for 10–12 minutes, stirring in between so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.

5. 5

   Add 1–2 tbsp ghee and 1 tsp jaggery (optional but highly recommended), mix well, switch off the flame and allow the Bisi Bele Bath to rest for 5 minutes for best flavor.