BSI BELE BATH

BSI BELE BATH

I completly forgot this recipe until my colleague reminded me of it yesterday,thanks to him.
What other recipe can be more authentic and originally Karnataka than the now world famous Bisi Bele Bhath? Bisi Bele Bhath in Kannada means hot dal and rice. It is simply that. Perhaps originally it was only hot rice and dal. Now it has progressed to a complete filling meal with dal, rice and all sorts of vegetables. I got to taste the delicious homemade bisi bele bhath from my aunt who is a bangalorian and ever since it has become one of my favourite .I remember once my friend saying ,"bisi bele bhath served at the hotels is so spicy, your bisi bele bhath is very tasty”.


Ingredients
1 1/2cups Rice
1/2cup Turdal
2 Small brinjals
1 Fresh Carrot
2 Fresh Drumsticks (optional)
1 potato
A handful of small onions
A pinch of Turmeric powder
6 Red chillies (lessen if you prefer less spicy)
4 Green chillies
2 tsp Mustard seeds
20 gm of Cashew nut
Curry leaves few
Coriander leaves few
lime sized tamarind
Ghee/oil for frying
Salt to taste
For Powdering
1tsp Fenugreek seeds
1tsp Coriander seeds
4-6 Red chillies
Grated coconut
For Masala
4-5 Cardamoms
4-5 Cloves
½ tsp Aniseeds
1tsp Poppy seeds
A small piece Cinnamon
Method
Peel onions.
Peel and cut vegetables into 1 inch pieces.
Wash rice and dal thoroughly. Place it in a container with 2 1/2 cups of water, a pinch of turmeric powder and chopped vegetables.cook it in a cooker for 2 whistles.
Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the ingredients for powdering until fenugreek turns golden brown in colour. Powder and keep aside.
Heat some more oil and fry poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, aniseeds. Powder and keep aside.
Soak tamarind in a little water and extract juice.
Heat oil, add red and green chillies, mustard and curry leaves. When mustard crackles, add to rice and mix well. Add tamarind juice, salt to taste and mix thoroughly.
Heat a little ghee and fry cashew nuts until golden brown in colour.
Add to rice along with powdered ingredients and masala powder. Mix well. Remove from fire.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves .
Serve it hot with pure ghee and papad/chips.


Variation:Masala powder may be prepared in advance and kept in air tight jars so that bisi bele bhath can be prepared in a jiffy any time.or we can also cook this with the instant bisi bele bhath mix found in any of the super markets.MTR mix is the best.