Bisi Bele Bhath

• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 1 cup toor, arhar or red gram dal
• 1 medium-sized tamarind
• 1 tbsp bisi bele bhath masala (if not available, use ½ tbsp sambar masala)
• 2 tsp oil
• 300 grams tomatoes (about 4 medium-sized)
• 1 of peas
• 1 cup each of chopped carrots, French beans and green capsicums
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• 200 grams onions (about 3 medium-sized)
• 30 grams ginger, ground
• 1 chili, ground
• 1 pinch asafetida
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 5 – 6 whole red chilies
• 5 – 6 curry leaves
• Coriander leaves, for garnishing
• 10 – 12 roasted cashew nuts (optional)
• Fried onions (optional)
• Crushed crispy potatoes (optional)

Method:

• Thoroughly clean the rice and soak it in about 4 cups of water for at least half an hour.
• Soak the dal in 4 cups of hot water for at least half an hour and cook until very soft. Let it cool and then whip with an egg beater.
• Soak the tamarind in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes, and then mash the soaked pulp with your fingers to separate the flesh from the seeds. Put the mashed mixture in a strainer or sieve over a bowl and continue to mash (with a spoon or your fingers) until the pulp has been extracted.
• Peel the onion and chop finely.
• Chop the tomatoes.
• Heat 1 tsp of oil in a deep vessel and add the mustard seeds.
• When they begin to crackle, add the asafetida, ground ginger and ground chili. Fry for one minute.
• Add the chopped onions and stir around a bit.
• Add the bisi bele bhath masala and fry for about 30 seconds.
• Add the vegetables and salt, and sauté for a few minutes.
• Add the tomatoes and stir some more.
• Cover and simmer until tomatoes are tender.
• Add in the rice and the water it was soaked in. Simmer uncovered until rice is cooked through, stirring occasionally.
• Add in the cooked dal and mix well.
• Let the whole mixture simmer for 10 minutes. Make sure there are no lumps in the rice.
• Add the tamarind pulp and simmer for one more minute.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.

To Make The Topping

• Heat 1 tsp of oil or ghee in a pan.
• Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and whole red chilies. Fry for a few seconds until they start to crackle, and then sprinkle it over the bisi bele bhath.
• Garnish with coriander
• Garnish with cashew nuts, fried onions and crispy potatoes if desired, or serve them separately alongside the dish, for people to pick and choose the toppings they please!