Learn how to make Bisi Bela Bhaat - Kannadiga style.
Bisi Bela Bhaat has always been my infrequent love. Yeah, you read it right. Like I forget about its existence for some time and then all of a sudden I'd read about this on some random blog/website and then I am all gaga over it. For next few weeks, this makes it to my every week's menu and then all of a sudden I forget about it and then the same story repeats.
Bisi Bela Bhaat has always been my infrequent love. Yeah, you read it right. Like I forget about its existence for some time and then all of a sudden I'd read about this on some random blog/website and then I am all gaga over it. For next few weeks, this makes it to my every week's menu and then all of a sudden I forget about it and then the same story repeats.
I have fond memories associated with Bisi Bela Bhaat, I was like 10 years or so, I remember this conversation between dad and mom. He came from his Bangalore trip and then he told my mom that he had something sambar rice type with vegetables and then it was served in a pot and all. He started describing its taste but couldn't remember the name.
He called his B'lore friend and asked - Can you believe he actually described the entire dish to his colleague and then he told him that it was Bisi Bela Baath or Bhaat. My dad quickly scribbled its ingredients and gave it to my mom. When my mom prepared it, I liked it but then it was more like Dal - Chawal, so I didn't understand why my dad was so gaga over it. Because Dal makes it to our everyday menu and it tasted the same.
Later on, mom noted this recipe from a popular Telugu cooking show and this has been a keeper ever since then. I remember last week when my mom told me that she prepared Bisi Bela Bhaat for lunch and that it turned out yum. Quickly noted this recipe and I am documenting it here so that I don't forget it ;)
Rice - 1/2 cup,
Pigeon Peas/Toor Dal or Tuvar Dal- 3/4th cup
Water - 4-5 cups
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
Vegetables
Carrot - 1 med Size diced into cubes
Beans - 10-12 cut into 1-inch pieces
Potato - 1 med Size (Cut into squares)
Green Peas - 1/4th Cup (I used frozen)
Onion - 1 med Size (cut into squares)
For Grinding
MTR Bisi Bela Baath Powder - 2 tbsps
Tamarind - Goose berry sized
Jaggery -1 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 1-2 tbsps (refer notes)
Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp (Optional)
Water - 3 tbsps
For Seasoning
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
Jeera - 2 tsps (adjust)
Asafoetida- 1 generous pinch
Dry Red chillies - 2-3 broken
Ghee - 2-3 tbsps
Oil - 2 tbsps
Coriander -1 small bunch finely chopped
Procedure:
1) Wash and pressure cook rice, pigeon peas, for 4-5 whistles. Also, add salt and turmeric powder. Make sure you add enough water.
2) Once pressure releases, mash this rice + dal mixture.
3) To make life easy, you can even pressure cook vegetables in a separate bowl.
4) Grind the ingredients mentioned under for grinding list with water - 3 tbsps approx.
5) Heat a tbsp of oil and add the ground mixture. Fry until the raw smell subsides and add 1/2 cup of water. Make sure this is lump free.
6) Now add this mixture to rice and combine all the ingredients well. Add vegetables as well.
7) Taste and adjust salt if required.
8) Heat ghee in a pan and add ingredients listed under seasoning. Fry for 20 secs. Make sure that you do not burn this.
9) Add this mixture to dal. Combine all the ingredients well.
10) This should be of pouring consistency.
11) Garnish with Coriander
12) Serve hot immediately with fryums, papad and pickle as sides.
My notes:1) You have to serve this recipe hot. As it cools, it becomes hard and may not so tasty.
2) This rice should be of pouring consistency. So add water adequetly.
3) You can use vegetables of your choice.
Later on, mom noted this recipe from a popular Telugu cooking show and this has been a keeper ever since then. I remember last week when my mom told me that she prepared Bisi Bela Bhaat for lunch and that it turned out yum. Quickly noted this recipe and I am documenting it here so that I don't forget it ;)
Bisi Bela Bhaat/ Bisi Bela Baath
Preparation Time: 20 mins | Cooking Time:30 mins
Recipe Category: One Pot Meals | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Recipe Category: One Pot Meals | Recipe Cuisine: South Indian
Rice - 1/2 cup,
Pigeon Peas/Toor Dal or Tuvar Dal- 3/4th cup
Water - 4-5 cups
Salt - as per taste
Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
Vegetables
Carrot - 1 med Size diced into cubes
Beans - 10-12 cut into 1-inch pieces
Potato - 1 med Size (Cut into squares)
Green Peas - 1/4th Cup (I used frozen)
Onion - 1 med Size (cut into squares)
For Grinding
MTR Bisi Bela Baath Powder - 2 tbsps
Tamarind - Goose berry sized
Jaggery -1 tbsp
Grated Coconut - 1-2 tbsps (refer notes)
Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp (Optional)
Water - 3 tbsps
For Seasoning
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard Seeds- 1 tsp
Jeera - 2 tsps (adjust)
Asafoetida- 1 generous pinch
Dry Red chillies - 2-3 broken
Ghee - 2-3 tbsps
Oil - 2 tbsps
Coriander -1 small bunch finely chopped
Procedure:
1) Wash and pressure cook rice, pigeon peas, for 4-5 whistles. Also, add salt and turmeric powder. Make sure you add enough water.
2) Once pressure releases, mash this rice + dal mixture.
3) To make life easy, you can even pressure cook vegetables in a separate bowl.
4) Grind the ingredients mentioned under for grinding list with water - 3 tbsps approx.
5) Heat a tbsp of oil and add the ground mixture. Fry until the raw smell subsides and add 1/2 cup of water. Make sure this is lump free.
6) Now add this mixture to rice and combine all the ingredients well. Add vegetables as well.
7) Taste and adjust salt if required.
8) Heat ghee in a pan and add ingredients listed under seasoning. Fry for 20 secs. Make sure that you do not burn this.
9) Add this mixture to dal. Combine all the ingredients well.
10) This should be of pouring consistency.
11) Garnish with Coriander
12) Serve hot immediately with fryums, papad and pickle as sides.
My notes:1) You have to serve this recipe hot. As it cools, it becomes hard and may not so tasty.
2) This rice should be of pouring consistency. So add water adequetly.
3) You can use vegetables of your choice.
