Bisi bele bhaat recipe is a popular South Indian dish made with rice, toor dal, vegetables, tamarind, jaggery, and homemade masala.
It has a perfect balance of spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet flavors and is ideal for lunch or dinner.
This easy bisi bele bhaat recipe is simple to make at home and gives you a comforting and flavorful meal. (step-by-step-recipe-video)
About This Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe:
Ever since I shifted to Bangalore, I kept hearing about this dish again and again.
One day, I went to my neighbour’s house and casually asked what she had prepared for dinner. She said, “Bisi Bele Bhaat.”
As I love cooking and trying new recipes, I immediately got curious. I asked her for the recipe and noted everything down in my diary.
This was around two years ago.
That recipe stayed with me all this time, and recently I finally got the chance to make it at home. And honestly, it turned out so comforting and full of flavor that I knew I had to share it with you.
What is Bisi Bele Bath Recipe?
Bisi bele bath recipe is a traditional South Indian dish.
Bisi means hot
Bele means dal
Bath (bhaat) means rice
It is made by cooking rice, dal, vegetables, tamarind, jaggery, and a special homemade bisi bele bath powder together.
Unlike plain khichdi, this dish has a rich masala flavor that makes it unique.
How to Make Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe (Quick Answer):
Bisi bele bhaat recipe is made by cooking rice, toor dal and few vegetables together in a pressure cooker until soft and slightly mushy.
In a kadai, some more vegetables are cooked and then mixed with tamarind water, jaggery, and homemade bisi bele bath powder.
The cooked rice and dal are then added and everything is simmered together until thick and flavorful.
Finally, a tempering of ghee, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and nuts is poured on top before serving hot.
Serving Suggestion for Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe:
Serve bisi bele bhaat recipe hot with:
- A spoon of ghee on top
- Plain or Masala boondi
- Papad or fryums
- Curd or raita
- or any fried veggies of your choice ( I love kurkuri bhindi)
Storage Tips for Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe:
- Store in an airtight container
- Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days
- Add hot water while reheating
Pro Tips for Perfect Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe:
- Cook rice and dal until very soft
- Always use hot water to adjust consistency
- Do not skip tamarind and jaggery
- Roast masala ingredients on low flame
- Add ghee at the end for better flavor
Why You Should Make This Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe:
This bisi bele bhaat recipe is:
- Made with simple ingredients
- Full of flavor
- Perfect for beginners
- Great comfort food
- A wholesome meal
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Basic Ingredients Used to Make Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe:
This bisi bele bhaat recipe uses simple ingredients, but each one plays an important role in giving the dish its unique taste and texture.
What makes this bisi bele bhaat recipe special is the balance of all these ingredients. Each one adds something different, and together they create a dish that is comforting, flavorful, and satisfying.
Rice: Rice is the base of this recipe. It gives structure to the dish and helps absorb all the flavors from the masala and vegetables. Sona masuri rice works best because it becomes soft and blends well.
Toor Dal: Toor dal adds protein and gives the dish its creamy and soft texture. When cooked properly, it mixes with rice and creates that comforting consistency.
Vegetables: Vegetables add freshness, color, and nutrition. They also balance the heaviness of rice and dal.
Tamarind: Tamarind gives a slight tangy taste which is very important in this recipe. It balances the richness of dal and spices.
Jaggery: Jaggery adds a mild sweetness. It helps balance the tangy and spicy flavors, giving the dish its signature taste.
Homemade Bisi Bele Bath Powder: This is the most important part of the recipe. It is made using roasted spices, dals, and dried or dessicated coconut. It gives deep flavor, aroma, authentic taste. Without this masala, the dish will not taste the same.
Ghee: Ghee enhances the overall flavor and gives a rich taste. Adding it at the end makes a big difference.
Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves: These are used in tempering. They add aroma and give the dish a traditional flavor.
Peanuts and Cashews: They add a nice crunch and make the dish more interesting in texture.
Spices (Turmeric, Red Chilli, Hing, etc.): These spices enhance the flavor, color, and digestion. Even though they are used in small amounts, they are very important.
How to Make Bisi Bele Bhaat:
Let us learn how to make Bisi Bele Bhaat with my easy to follow step by step method.
You can download the below recipe card for easy reference.
Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredients for Masala:
- 4 Tbsp Chana dal
- 4 Tbsp Urad dal
- 8 Tbsp Coriander seeds
- 2 Tbsp Poppy seeds
- 2 Tbsp Cumin seeds
- 1 Tsp Fenugreek seeds
- 2 Tsp Black peppercorns
- 5 Inch Cinnamon
- 4-5 Nos. Marathi moggu
- 5 Nos. Cloves optional
- 3-4 tbsp Desiccated Coconut you also use grated dry coconut
- 1 Tsp Oil
- 30 Nos. Byadgi red chilli
- 1 Tsp Asafoetida
Ingredients for Cooking Rice, Dal and Veggies:
- 1/2 Cup Toor dal
- 1/2 Cup Rice Sona masuri, or any short grain rice
- 2 Carrot Medium size, Diced
- 15 Nos. French beans Diced
- 1 Kohlrabi Diced
- 3 Cup Water
- 1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 Tsp Oil
For Tempering and Final Cooking:
- 2 Tbsp Ghee
- 2 Tbsp Cashew halved
- 2 Tbsp Peanuts
- 1 Tsp Mustard seeds
- 2-3 Nos. Red chilli
- 8-10 Nos. Curry leaves
- 1/4 Tsp Asafoetida
- 1 No. Tomato Diced
- 1/3 Cup Green peas
- Salt to taste
- 1 No Capsicum Diced
- Tamarind lemon sized ball, soaked
- 1/2-1 tsp Jaggery
- Water hot, as required
- 4 Tbsp Bisi bele bath powder
- Salt To taste
- Fresh coriander handful(Chopped)
Instructions
Method For Besi Bele Bhaat Masala:
- Heat a pan over high heat and let it get hot.
- Once it gets hot, lower the flame then add chana dal and urad dal, dry roast the lentils over low flame while stirring them continuously until they turn golden in colour and become fragrant, then transfer them into a large bowl and set the pan back over low flame.
- Add coriander seeds and dry roast them until they turn golden brown and transfer them into the same bowl.
- In the same pan add the poppy seeds and dry roast them over low flame until they turn golden and transfer into the same bowl.
- Add the remaining whole spices in the same pan and dry roast over low flame until they are fragrant, then transfer the spices into the same bowl.
- Add dry coconut & dry roast it until it turns golden brown & transfer it into the bowl.
- Now add oil into the pan, add the red chillies and roast them for a few minutes, transfer them into the bowl and then add asafoetida directly into the bowl.
- Let the mixture cool down and come to room temperature.
- Once cooled, grind everything into a fine powder, so you see, your quick bisi bele bath powder is ready.
- Transfer it into an airtight container, if stored properly it will last for a couple of months.
Method for Bisis Bele Bhaat Recipe:
- Add the rice and dal into a bowl, wash it using water until the water turns clear, then drain the water and add the washed dal and rice into a pressure cooker.
- Add carrot, beans, kohlrabi, water, turmeric powder and oil, put the lid on and pressure cook over medium high flame for 4 whistles, then switch off the flame and let the pressure release naturally.
- Once the pressure released, open the lid and set the cooker aside. And the start making tempering.
- Heat a kadai or a big pot over high heat, once it gets hot add the ghee and let the ghee heat well.
- Add cashew and peanuts, fry them over medium flame until they turn golden brown and then transfer into a bowl, set it aside.
- Now add mustard seeds, red chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida in the ghee, stir well and let the mustard seeds crackle.
- Then add tomato, green peas and salt, stir and cook over high flame until the tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add capsicum, stir and cook over high flame for a minute.
- Add the tamarind water by straining it through a sieve or hand and make sure you mash and add all the pulp, along with jaggery, stir well and cook over high flame.
- Now add the cooked rice mixture into the pot or kadai, hot water and stir well, keep the bisibelebath slightly watery, it will thicken up while cooking, keep the flame on medium.
- In a separate bowl add the bisi bele bath powder along with some water and mix well to dissolve the masala, add the mixture into the kadai or pot and stir well, you can add more hot water and adjust the consistency to your preference.
- Taste and adjust salt, then add the fried nuts and fresh coriander.(reserve some nuts to use as garnish later)
- Your bisi bele bath is ready, serve hot with khara boondi or any raita, fryums of your choice.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions About Bisi Bele Bhaat Recipe:
What is bisi bele bhaat recipe made of?
Bisi bele bhaat recipe is made using rice, toor dal, vegetables, tamarind, jaggery, and a special homemade bisi bele bath powder. It is a flavorful and comforting South Indian dish.
Can I use readymade bisi bele bath powder?
Yes, you can use readymade powder, but homemade bisi bele bath powder gives better flavor and aroma in this recipe.
Why is jaggery added in bisi bele bhaat recipe?
Jaggery is added to balance the tangy taste of tamarind and the spices. It gives the dish a slightly sweet and balanced flavor.
What should be the consistency of bisi bele bhaat?
Bisi bele bhaat should be soft and slightly flowing, not dry. You can adjust the consistency by adding hot water while cooking or reheating.
Can I make bisi bele bhaat recipe in a pressure cooker?
Yes, rice and dal are usually cooked in a pressure cooker until soft. The final mixing and cooking is done in a kadai for better flavor.
Is bisi bele bhaat same as khichdi?
No, bisi bele bhaat is different from khichdi. It has a unique taste due to the use of tamarind, jaggery, and special masala.
My Recommended Product:
For this bisi bele bhaat recipe, I used a pressure cooker to cook the rice and dal, which makes the process much easier and faster.
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Keep in mind that I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases.
I am an independent blogger and the reviews are done based on my own opinions. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
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