Bisibelebath

Yet another yummy dish from Karnataka……..Bisibelebath.  I just love it. I have tried many recipes to get the perfect bisibelebath and I love it this way. Infact I stopped using  any store bought mix for that matter.  The taste of the fresh powder made at home bring out intense flavor of the spices and tastes divine.  Very simple and not a big task in making this dish.

Ingredients

Toor Dal  1 cup
Rice ½   cup (Sona Masoori or regular kind but  do not use basmathi)
Mixed cubed vegetables – 2  cups (( Beans, Carrots, Potato,  Onion, ground nuts, peas)
Desiccated  or Dry Copra -  1/4 cup  (I used desiccated)

Method

Pressure cook the toor dal with  2 tbs of oil. Please ensure its  almost 90% done and not  overcooked.

To make the masala powder

Ingredients:

Channa dal  -  2 tsp heaped
Urad dal - 1 tsp heaped
Cinnamon  -4  half inch pieces
Cloves -  5-6
Cardamom - 2
Methi seeds- about 8 seeds
Coriander seeds – 2 tbsp
Dry red chillies - about 10 depending upon your spice Level **
Khas khas – ¼ tsp (I have left out this as we don’t get it here)                                                                  Curry leaves –   few

** I have used two kind of red chillies. One is the BYADGI variety which is rich in color and mild in spice. The other variety is the GUNTUR which is very spicy.  I suggest you mix both the varieties otherwise the regular kind will do. This is done only to get the colour of the red chilli.

Take a drop of ghee and fry all the above dry ingredients in the same order....dals first and once they turn reddish-light brown, the others follow. Fry till a nice aroma picks up. Cool and powder it. Please do not burn and fry it too  dark as this will change the colour of the dish.  Powder this and keep aside.


Wash and drain the rice and add to the boiled dal along with the mixed diced vegetables, little salt. Add water such that the vegetables are just immersed and boil. When the rice is half done, add salt and dry coconut/copra. Mix in about ½  tsp of tamarind paste and stir well.

Add water to the masala powder  and make it into a paste.  If powder is added directly to the boiling rice mixture, lumps might form and the masala powder will  not  get mixed in well.

The final step
Mix in the masala powder paste  to the rice mix. Check for salt. Ensure the bisibelebath is a little watery when it cools it will become hard.  Switch off the stove once it boils well,. Add in ½ tsp of sugar (Optional). I have added it as I like that. Season with mustard seeds, Asafetida and curry leaves.  Add a dolop of ghee whilst serving.

How I enjoy eating this is

You must have this  hot. Sprinkle some boondi on top, use the potato chips as spoon......scoop them and enjoy it...........aww indeed it was a sumptious lunch today.

Tell me how you like this wonderful mouthwatering dish.

Latha