Udupi Bisi Bele Bath

Udupi Bisi Bele Bath

Udupi Bisi Bele Bath

Veg

Udupi style hot lentil rice — rice and toor dal pressure-cooked together with vegetables (drumstick, raw banana, brinjal, beans, and tomato), tamarind, and a freshly ground bisi bele bath masala powder (roasted chana dal, urad dal, dried red chilli, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, marathi mokku, and stone flower) until everything merges into a thick, unified, deeply spiced porridge. Finished with a generous tempering of ghee, cashews, curry leaves, and mustard seeds poured over the top. The Udupi version uses more tamarind and fresh coconut in the masala than the Mysore version, giving it a more sour character; no onion is used. Eaten piping hot (bisi bele = hot lentil in Kannada) with a side of cooling curd or papad. The most complete single-pot meal in Karnataka cooking: lentils, rice, vegetables, and spices in one pot.

Cuisines

Mangalorean Udupi Mysore

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
1/2 cup rice
1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, potatoes)
2 tablespoons tamarind pulp
2 tablespoons Bisi Bele Bath powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon ghee
2 tablespoons oil
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
10-12 curry leaves
2 dried red chilies
1/4 cup grated coconut
1 tablespoon jaggery
— salt to taste
4 cups water

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the toor dal and rice together and soak them in water for 20 minutes.
  2. 2 Drain the water and pressure cook the dal and rice with 4 cups of water, turmeric powder, and a pinch of salt for 3-4 whistles until soft.
  3. 3 In a separate pan, heat oil and ghee together and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
  4. 4 Add asafoetida, curry leaves, and dried red chilies to the pan and sauté for a few seconds.
  5. 5 Add the mixed vegetables and sauté for 5-7 minutes until they are slightly tender.
  6. 6 Mix in the tamarind pulp, Bisi Bele Bath powder, grated coconut, and jaggery. Cook for another 5 minutes.
  7. 7 Add the cooked dal and rice mixture to the pan, mix well, and adjust the consistency by adding water if needed.
  8. 8 Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust salt to taste.
  9. 9 Serve hot, garnished with additional ghee if desired.

Tips

For a more authentic taste, roast and grind your own Bisi Bele Bath powder from fresh spices.