Bisi Bele Bath Recipe | Karnataka Style Bisibelebath

Bisi bela bath means “Hot Lentil Rice” in Kannada. Bisibelabath is a popular recipe in Karnataka. We make Sambar Rice in Tamilnadu which is much similar to Bisibelabath. The uniqueness of Bisi Bele Bath is its spice powder which has the tinge of masala. In our Tamilnadu version of Kadamba sambar, we also use the freshly ground sambar powder which has dal, coriander seeds, fenugreek, red chili and coconut. In addition to these spices, for Bisibelabath we use dry coconut, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and fennel. These few spices really add a nice flavor and makes this sambar rice even more special.

Conventionally we cook rice and dal together in pressure cooker and prepare the bisibelabath gravy in another pan and combine everything together.  Finally we can just add ghee roasted cashew. This is normally served with Khara Boondi or potato wafers. Bisi Bele Bath should be eaten hot, which is BISI in Kannada. This dish is popular in old Mysore region of Karnataka and not known to Coastal and North Karnataka where food culture is entirely different.

Click here to see the Instant Pot method of cooking Bisibelabath

We can follow this same recipe and use Poha or Oats or any millets in place of Rice. If we want to use poha, just wash it and sprinkle little water and mix till soft and add once the bisibelabath mixture is ready.

Tips for making Bisi Bele Bath:

• We can use regular raw rice we use for our cooking. I used Sona masoori. We can also use basmati or ponni raw rice.
• Cooking rice and dal separately makes it easier to mash it before mixing with sambar.
• Shallots add nice flavor, but if you don’t have you can use regular onions.
• The recipe uses freshly prepared Bisi Bele Bath powder. But we can also use store bought bisibelebath powder.
• Vegetables are optional. We can just prepare only with shallots.
• I used Kashmiri Red Chili for gettin natural color without making the rice spicier.. If you don’t want to use kashmiri red chili  you can use 8 regular red chili for this recipe.
• Top up the Bisi Bele Bath with a generous teaspoon of ghee before serving along with garnishing of coriander leaves.

You may also want to try:

• Karnataka style Tamarind Rice
• Arachuvitta Sambar
• Udupi Sambar
• Mysore Masala Dosa
• Mysore Rasam

Recipe Card for Bisi Bele Bath Recipe | Karnataka Style Bisibelebath:

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Bisi Bele Bath Recipe | Karnataka Style Bisibelebath Recipe

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Rice Varieties

Cuisine: India, Karnataka

Equipments Needed

• Pressure Cooker
• Heavy Bottomed Pan
• Mixer Grinder

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 199kcal

Author: Sowmya Venkatachalam

Bisi bela bath is a popular rice variety made using rice, lentils, mix vegetables, tamarind and unique spice powder. Its a delicious and complete meal with the balance of vegetables, lentils and rice.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup Raw Rice 1 cup = 250 ml
• ▢ ½ cup Toor Dal (Pigeon pea)
• ▢ 1 lemon size Tamarind
• ▢ ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ▢ 2 tsp Salt

Vegetables

• ▢ 1 Cup Shallots / Baby Onions
• ▢ 1 nos Drumstick Chopped into 2" pieces
• ▢ 10 nos Beans Chopped into 1" pieces
• ▢ 1 nos Carrot Peeled, Cubed
• ▢ 1 nos Potato Peeled, Cubed
• ▢ ¼ Cup Green Peas
• ▢ 1 nos Green Capsicum Cubed
• ▢ ¼ pinch Asafoetida (Asafetida / Hing)
• ▢ 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves For Garnishing
• ▢ 2 tbsp Oil

Ingredients for Grinding

• ▢ 1½ tbsp Coriander seeds
• ▢ 1 tbsp Split Bengal Gram (Channa Dal / Kadalaparuppu)
• ▢ 12 nos Kashmiri Red Chili or 8 Red Chili
• ▢ ¼ tsp Fenugreek seeds
• ▢ ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• ▢ 1 inch Cinnamon Stick
• ▢ 3 nos Cloves
• ▢ 2 nos Cardamom
• ▢ 1 tbsp Desiccated Coconut Dry coconut
• ▢ ½ tsp Fennel Seeds
• ▢ ½ tsp Peppercorns

Ingredients for Tempering

• ▢ 2 tbsp Ghee
• ▢ 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• ▢ Few Curry leaves
• ▢ 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• ▢ 2 tbsp Cashews

Instructions 

Soaking Tamarind

• ▢
  Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Extract the tamarind juice and set aside.

Cooking Rice and Dal

• ▢
  Take rice and dal in a vessel. Rinse it thoroughly twice or thrice. Add 4.5 cups fresh water to the rinsed rice and dal
• ▢
  Add a pinch of turmeric and pressure cook the rice and dal for 4-5 whistles. Once cooked, mash the rice and dal and set it aside.

Preparing Bisi Bela Bath Spice Powder

• ▢
  Heat a pan. Add coriander seeds, bengal gram, cumin, fennel, pepper, red chili, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Dry roast the ingredients till dal turns light brown and we get nice aroma.
• ▢
  Next, add dry coconut and fry till light brown. Cool the dry roasted ingredients.
• ▢
  Take the roasted ingredients to a mixer jar. Grind it to smooth powder. Bisi Bele Bath Spice Powder Ready!

Cook Sambar

• ▢
  Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add shallots to the cooker and fry till translucent.
• ▢
  Then add other chopped veggies like drumstick, carrot, capsicum, potato, beans, green peas to the cooker. Stir-fry for couple of minutes.
• ▢
  Then add turmeric powder and a cup of water. Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and allow the vegetables to cook till soft and tender.
• ▢
  Once the vegetables are cooked completely, add tamarind juice to the cooker along with salt and asafoetida.
• ▢
  Let the tamarind juice boils for atleast 5 mins to get rid off the raw smell of tamarind.
• ▢
  Then add the prepared bisibelebath powder and stir continuously so that the powder gets mixed with the tamarind mixture without getting lumps.
• ▢
  Allow the sambar to cook for another 5 mins. Then switch off the flame.
• ▢
  Add the mashed rice+dal to to the sambar. Do not add all the rice and dal. Rice and dal absorbs the sambar so quickly. So add the rice and dal so that the bisi bele bath is not too thick but like a semi-solid. Mix nicely the rice+dal mixture with the sambar.

Tempering

• ▢
  Heat ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow it to sputter. Then add cashews and fry till golden brown. Add few curry leaves and switch off the flame. 
• ▢
  Add this tempering to the Bisi bele bath and give a good mix.

Serving

• ▢
  Bisi Bele Bath is now ready! Garnish with coriander leaves!

Video

Nutritional Info

Nutrition Facts

Bisi Bele Bath Recipe | Karnataka Style Bisibelebath Recipe

Amount Per Serving (500 grams)

Calories 199 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Sodium 922mg40%

Carbohydrates 33g11%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 8g16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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INSTRUCTIONS WITH STEP BY STEP PICTURES:

SOAKING TAMARIND

• Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 mins. Extract the tamarind juice and set aside.

COOKING RICE AND DAL

• Take rice and dal in a vessel. Rinse it thoroughly twice or thrice. Add 4.5 cups fresh water to the rinsed rice and dal.

• Add a pinch of turmeric and pressure cook the rice and dal for 4-5 whistles. Once cooked, mash the rice and dal and set it aside.

PREPARING BISI BELA BATH SPICE POWDER

• Heat a pan. Add coriander seeds, bengal gram, cumin, fennel, pepper, red chili, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Dry roast the ingredients till dal turns light brown and we get nice aroma.

• Next, add dry coconut and fry till light brown. Cool the dry roasted ingredients.

• Take the roasted ingredients to a mixer jar. Grind it to smooth powder. Bisi Bele Bath Spice Powder Ready!

COOK SAMBAR

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add shallots to the cooker and fry till translucent.

• Then add other chopped veggies like drumstick, carrot, capsicum, potato, beans, green peas to the cooker. Stir-fry for couple of minutes.

• • Then add turmeric powder and a cup of water. Cover the pressure cooker with a lid and allow the vegetables to cook till soft and tender.

• Once the vegetables are cooked completely, add tamarind juice to the cooker along with salt and asafetida.

• Let the tamarind juice boils for atleast 5 mins to get rid off the raw smell of tamarind.

• Then add the prepared bisibelebath powder and stir continuously so that the powder gets mixed with the tamarind mixture without getting lumps.

• • Allow the sambar to cook for another 5 mins. Then switch off the flame.

•  Add the mashed rice+dal to to the sambar. Do not add all the rice and dal. Rice and dal absorbs the sambar so quickly. So add the rice and dal so that the bisi bele bath is not too thick but like a semi-solid. Mix nicely the rice+dal mixture with the sambar.

TEMPERING:

• Heat ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds and allow it to sputter. Then add cashews and fry till golden brown. Add few curry leaves and switch off the flame.

• Add this tempering to the Bisi bele bath and give a good mix.

• Bisi Bele Bath is now ready! Garnish with coriander leaves!

Sowmya Venkatachalam

IT Engineer turned full time Food Blogger. I ♡ FOOD. I also love food blogging. Did you make a recipe? Tag @Subbusktichen on Instagram. I WANNA SEE!