Easy method to prepare Bisibelabath

Bisibelabath is a very popular dish in Karnataka. The name Bisi bele bhaath is a phrase, which literally means "Hot Lentil Rice", as in Kannada, Bisi means hot, bele means Lentils and bhaath means a dish made of rice

Ingredients needed

   Raw Rice: 1 cup
   Tur dal: 1/2 cup
   Tamarind: small lemon sized ball
   Oil: 1 tbsp
   Ghee:  5 tsp

   Pearl onions: 15
   Beans:  4-5
   Carrot:  2
   Potato: 1
   Peas:  fistful
   Tomato:  1
   Capsicum:  1

   Bisi Bela Bath Masala (fry and dry grind)

   Oil:  1 tsp
   Kopra/Dry coconut powder: 1/2 cup
   Coriander seeds:  1 tbsp
   Red chillies: 6-7
   Bengal gram/Channa Dal:  2 tsp
   Urad dal:  1 tsp
   Fenugreek:  1/2 tsp
   Cinnamon:  1 inch piece
   Cloves:  2
   Cardamom: 1
   Khus khus: 1 tsp

   For the seasoning

   Mustard: 1 tsp
   Fenugreek :   1/4 tsp
   Curry leaves:  little
   Asafoetida/hing:  1/4 tsp

Preparation 

Heat a tsp of oil, roast the ingredients under Bisi Bela Bath Masala, adding coconut at the end. Roast everything until it becomes slightly brown in colour and dry grind it. You can prepare this a few days before if you are using kopra as it will not get spoiled. Store it in an airtight container.

Pressure cook rice with 4 ½ cups of water for 4 whistles.

Pressure cook dal with a cup of water and keep aside. Mash it well. I usually soak dal for 15 -20 minutes in hot water as it takes less time for cooking.

Cut pearl onions into 2-3 pieces. Cut beans and carrot lengthwise. Peel and chop potatoes into cubes. Cut capsicum into small pieces.

Soak tamarind in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes. Extract its juice and discard the pulp.

Method 

Heat a tbsp of oil, add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add fenugreek seeds, hing and curry leaves. Saute for a seconds and add chopped onions.

Sauté onions until it becomes transparent. Then add all the vegetables (except capsicum) and sauté for a few more seconds. Sprinkle water and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Now add tamarind extract, needed salt and the bisi bela bath masala powder. Let it boil well until the raw flavour goes. By the time the vegetables will also get cooked well.

Add cooked dal, cooked rice, 4-5 tsp of ghee and mix well.

Heat a tsp of ghee and sauté capsicum until slightly cooked. It should be crunchy.

Garnish Bisibelabath with capsicums, coriander leaves and serve hot with chips or papads or onion raita.