Bisi Bele Bath is a delicious, flavourful piping hot rice cooked with dal. Bisil Bele Bath is popular from Karnataka cuisine and a must try recipe at home. How to make Bisi Bele Bath is explained in this recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Make your day special with Bise Bele Bath on birthdays, anniversaries & parties. Cooking Bisi Bele Bath is an elaborate process if you make Bisi Bele Powder along with the rice. Suggest to make Bisi Bele Powder at home & stock or buy from stores so that cooking Bisi Bele Bath is easier.
About Bisi Bele Bath
Bisi Bele Bath is a wholesome meal made by cooking rice & dal and blending it with Bisi Bele Powder, tamarind extract, jaggery syrup, tempered spices and cashews.
“Bisi” – hot “Bele” – dal / lentil “Bath” – rice meal – As is a hot spicy dal rice. It is pronounced bi-sibey-lley bath, often mistaken as bey-si-bey-la-bha-ath.
Bisi Bele Bath is a gift to India & the world from Karnataka. The recipe seem to have originated from the kitchens of Mysore Palace and then had spread throughout the world.
Bisi bele bath recipe a popular one pot meal in karnataka.The name Bisi Bele Bath is a Kannada phrase, which means “hot lentil rice”. In Kannada, Bisi means hot, Bele means lentil, and bath means a dish made of rice.If you have the spice mix ready then making Bisi Bele Bath is so easy.
I haven’t tasted Bisi Bele Bath much in hotels but have heard so much about the taste of it in MTR that I very badly want to taste it there. Bisi bele bath is usually served with potato chips and onion raita.
Why no vegetables in Bisi Bele Bath?
I can claim this as an authentic karnataka style Bisi Bele Bath Recipe as I did a research for the origin of bisi bele bath and how it differs from sambar rice. Though the main difference being the special spice mix we add for bisi bele bath, another one is for bisi bele bath we do not add vegetables.
Yes you heard it right, actually when they started making a dish called bisi bele bath in Karnataka earlier it was made this way without vegetables not even onions but later hotels started using vegetables and now everywhere it is the same.Trust me, even without vegetables with just rice,dal,spice mix and a generous dose of ghee this dish tastes out of the world.
There is a reason behind this much research and effort put in for this bisi bele bath recipe.My sil had asked to post this bisi bele bath recipe 2 yrs bk…she even got me a book which had the recipe but still the lazy me kept postponing it. She said she had tried it from several sources but was not satisfied so wanted me to post Finally after 2 yrs dusted the book she gave and after a week analysis of the orginal source of bisi bele bath, referring cookbooks, asking few for the recipe and checking MTR ingredient list, finally its all worth the effort.
Bisi Bele Bath – No onion – No garlic – No veggie wonder!
Bisi Bele Bath is a no onion, no garlic & no veggie wonder. We include coconuts & chilli but unlike sambar / gravy which has a vegetable as primary ingredient, we do not have one such for Bisi Bele Bath. The magic proportions of rice,dal,spice mix and a generous dose of ghee makes this dish taste out of the world.
In olden days, Bisi Bele Bath, it was made this way without vegetables but later hotels started using vegetables and now everywhere it is the same. Very happy to share this no veggie authentic Bisi Bele Bath wonder with you!
Bisi Bele Bath – With homemade or store-bought Bisi Bele Bath powder?
Bisi Bele Bath tastes best with homemade Bisi Bele Bath powder. I have used homemade Bisi Bele Bath powder for this recipe – however, we can buy it from store as well- MTR being popular & tasty!
What is the difference between Sambar Rice and Bisi Bele Bath?
The spice mix is the key differentiating factor. Sambar powder has equal proportions of Chana dal, toor dal & urad dal while Bisi Bele Bath does not call for chana dal and has toor dal as the primary ingredient. Bisi Bele Bath powder has more flavouring spices like poppy seeds, cinnamon sticks, cloves, Marathi moggu which are not part of Sambar powder.
Bisi Bele Bath is flavoured with roasted coconut & cashews whereas Sambar rice does not.
Bisi Bele Bath is made with or without vegetables whereas Sambar Rice is made with vegetables.
I love the colour of Bisi Bele Bath – A mild brownish tint against the yellow/orangish Sambar.
When to make Bisi Bele Bath?
Apart from relishing Bisi Bele Bath at homes for lunch they are usually made for small parties, family get-together. I have a stock of Bisi Bele Powder always at home and make this when I run out of veggies. I also prefer making this on No Non Veg days.
We cook Bisi Bele Bath once in a fortnight at home and for special days like Birthdays, Anniversary or home functions.
Ingredients
- Rice : Raw Rice (Pacharisi) /SonaMasuri Rice is recommended for this recipe. However boiled rice also can be used.
- Bisi Bele Bath Powder : I always prefer to use homemade bisi bele bath powder. I make a small batch and store.
- Byadagi Red Chilli :– Byadgi red chilli is a red chilli grown in Karnataka which is more reddish and less spicy. You can use regular chilli alternatively.
- Coconut : Use fresh grated coconut – however we can use desiccated coconut as well.
- Ghee : A generous use of ghee makes this recipe more yummy. Use homemade ghee or those from stores which you buy regularly.
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📖 Recipe Card
Bisi Bele Bath Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw rice
- 1/2 + 1/8 cup toor dal
- 5 cups water
- 3 tablespoon ghee
- 1/4 cup tamarind water
- 1 tablespoon jaggery powder
- 4 tablespoon bisi bele powder
- 2 tablespoon grated coconut
- 15 nos cashews
- salt to taste
To temper:
- 2 nos bydagi red chillies
- a small sprig of curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
- 1 no clove
- 1/4 inch cinnamon
Video
Notes
- If you prefer adding vegetables, cook and add it along with cooked rice dal mixture.
- My spice mix doesn’t have kopra so I added roasted coconut here to get that flavour. But if you are using store bought mix then skip coconut here.
- How much ever ghee you add it absorbs so reserve ghee for serving. Add just half of ghee when its getting cooked just for flavour.
- Add enough water for the rice and dal to cook. It should be gooey and not too dry.
- I used homemade spice mix, if you are using store bought then add 3.5 tablespoon.
- You can also add peanuts for garnishing, and skip cashews.
Recipe for Bisi Bele Bath
Preparing rice and dal
1.First measure dal and rice, make it ready.
2.Rinse well with water.
3.Drain water. Rinse atleast couple of times and drain water.
Cooking rice and dal
4.Add to pressure cooker along with required water.
5.Pressure cook along with 5 cups of water for 5 whistles. Rice and dal should be mushy.
6.Mash it well using a laddle and set it aside.
Preparing spice mix
7.Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan.
8.Then add tamarind water and jaggery powder.
9.Add jaggery powder.
10.Let it boil for a good 7-10 mins.Let it boil until raw smell leaves.
11.Add bisi bele bath powder.
12.Add water.
13.Let it come to a boil.
Adding cooked rice and dal
14.Add mashed rice, dal.
15.Mix it well.
Frying cashews, coconut
16.Heat a tablespoon of ghee and fry cashews until golden.
17.Roast coconut until reddish brown. Add it.
Tempering for bisi bele bath
18.Add a tablespoon ghee, temper the items listed under ‘to temper’ let it splutter.
19.Add roasted coconut
Bisi bele bath ready
20.Add remaining ghee, tempered items along with cashews.Mix well and switch off.
21.Mix well and hot bisi bele bath ready!
Hot delicious Bisi Bele Bath ready. Serve with a dollop of ghee along with chips and raita.
Expert Tips
- If you prefer adding vegetables, cook and add it along with cooked rice dal mixture.
- My spice mix doesnt have kopra so I added roasted coconut here to get that flavour. But if you are using storebought mix then skip coconut here.
- How much ever ghee you add it absorbs so reserve ghee for serving. Add just half of ghee when its getting cooked just for flavour.
- Add enough water for the rice and dal to cook.It should be goey and not too dry.
- I used homemade spice mix, if you are using storebought then add 3.5 tablespoon.
- You can also add peanuts for garnishing, and skip cashews.
Serving Suggestions
Tastes best when hot! Bisi Bele Bath gets hardened when it gets cold. So taste hot! For the same reasons, it is not preferred for lunch box, travel packs. However you can add some hot water, ghee reheat and serve hot for later use within a day! Since Bisi Bele Bath is a wholesome meal, a separate curry is not needed. A simple raita, chips make the combo perfect tasty!
Variations to Recipe of Bisi Bele Bath
- You can make this by adding veggies of your choice. Some suggestions are carrot, beans, peas, potato, tomato and onions. Add the veggies by cooking them till raw smell leaves and mix in the step after tamarind extract &jaggery powder are cooked
- Adding peanuts will make this dish crunchier.
FAQs
1.What is Bisi Bele Bath?
Bisi Bele Bath is a wholesome meal made by cooking rice & dal and blending it with Bisi Bele Powder, tamarind extract, jaggery syrup, tempered spices and cashews.
“Bisi” – hot “Bele” – dal / lentil “Bath” – rice meal – As is a hot spicy dal rice. It is pronounced bi-sibey-lley bath, often mistaken as bey-si-bey-la-bha-ath.
2.Should we cook rice and dal separately?
I recommend cooking them together for authenticity and saving time.
3.Will the dish taste good without veggies?
Yes – trust me they taste heavenly without veggies. Give a try and post your feedback!
4.Is adding coconut necessary?
No – however it is recommended as it enhances the taste of the dish and an authentic Bisi Bele Bath should have it.
5.My Bisi Bele Bath has turned to be spiced cakes – What should I do?
This is because the Bisi Bela Bath had turned cold. Add some hot water &ghee,reheat /saute for 2-3 minutes and serve hot!
Abi
1 cup equals how much ml? Is it 250 ml?
Sharmilee J
yes my 1 cup measures 250 ml
kesavan
? is bisi. bele mix. . . .Details please
Sharmilee J
the link is given or give a search as bisibele bath powder recipe