Karnataka Bisi Bele Bath

A soft Karnataka rice-and-toor-dal meal with vegetables, tamarind, jaggery, freshly roasted spice powder and a fragrant ghee tempering.

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Bisi bele bath is a Karnataka rice, lentil and vegetable preparation served hot for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This editorial version builds the characteristic sweet-sour, warmly spiced flavour with tamarind, a small amount of jaggery and a freshly roasted masala, then cooks the mixture to a soft, flowing consistency. The quantities and beginner cues are Kitchen Handi's original adaptation, informed by Karnataka regional and home-cooking sources. It has not been kitchen-tested by Kitchen Handi.

Ingredients

• 180 g short- or medium-grain white rice (rinsed until the water is mostly clear)
• 100 g toor dal (split pigeon peas) (picked over and rinsed)
• 1.5 litres water, divided (800 ml for pressure-cooking, 150 ml for tamarind, 400 ml for vegetables and up to 150 ml to adjust)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 25 g seedless tamarind
• 100 g carrot, cut into 1.5 cm pieces
• 100 g green beans, cut into 2 cm pieces (trimmed and cut into 2 cm pieces)
• 150 g potato, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm pieces
• 80 g green peas (fresh or frozen)
• 100 g onion, finely chopped
• 10 g jaggery, finely grated
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt, divided (divided, plus more only if needed)
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 teaspoon urad dal
• 4 dried red chillies, stems removed (stems removed; reduce for less heat)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3 cm cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 20 g unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 2 tablespoons ghee
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 2 dried red chillies, broken in half
• 12 fresh curry leaves (washed and dried thoroughly)
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 15 g fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Step-by-step method

1. Put the rinsed rice, toor dal, turmeric and 800 ml water in a pressure cooker. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes, then allow a 10-minute natural release before carefully venting any remaining pressure. The rice and dal should be very soft; mash them lightly with the back of a spoon.
2. While the cooker works, soak the tamarind in 150 ml hot water for 10 minutes. Squeeze it well and strain the liquid, discarding seeds and fibres.
3. For the masala, place the coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, four dried chillies, cumin, fenugreek, cinnamon and cloves in a dry frying pan. Roast over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the dals are golden and the spices smell fragrant. Add the coconut and stir for 30 seconds, then transfer everything to a plate to cool.
4. Grind the cooled roasted mixture to a fine powder in a dry blender or spice grinder. Pause between pulses so the warm spices do not become oily.
5. Put the carrot, beans, potato, peas, onion, 400 ml water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a wide heavy saucepan. Cover, bring to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potato and carrot are tender but not disintegrating.
6. Stir the strained tamarind liquid, jaggery and ground masala into the vegetables. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring and scraping the base so the spice mixture does not catch.
7. Add the mashed rice-and-dal mixture and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stir in 100 ml of the remaining hot water, adding the last 50 ml only if needed. Simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until soft and cohesive but still loose enough to fall slowly from a spoon.
8. Heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and cover briefly as they pop. Lower the heat, add the two broken chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida, and stir for 20 to 30 seconds. Stand back because dry curry leaves can splutter.
9. Pour the hot tempering over the rice mixture and stir it through. Taste and adjust salt only if needed. Rest for 5 minutes, then loosen with a splash of hot water if it has thickened; garnish with coriander if using and serve hot.