Bisi bele bath recipe and side dish

Bisi bele bath or bisi bele huli anna translates to hot dhal sambar rice is one of the most popular lunch recipes and is from Karnataka.  This tastes best when eaten hot .  Onion raitha a suitable side dish.

For one cup rice take one cup toor dhal ( Some take half cup dhal for one cup rice , this is the combination adopted in our family )
Add a pinch of turmeric powder and cook them both in a cooker so that the resultant mixture becomes semi solid

 The vegetables used are carrot , potato , green peas.  We can also use beans and pea nuts.  Chop them into small pieces as shown and cook them also in a cooker


Take a gooseberry size tamarind and soak in water when we start the process of cooking

 The toor dhal , rice , turmeric powder combination after getting cooked into a semi solid state in the cooker is shown in the image below.

 Heat a vessel called vanali , squeeze the tamarind extract in the vessel as shown in the next step below

 The vegetables are cooked in such a manner that they do not become too soft but break when pressed with thumb.

 Add the vegetables to the tamarind extract and continue the heating

 The tamarind extract and vegetables have started boiling ,  This why the vegetable should not be cooked completely because when boiled with tamarind extract they will not be discrete.

 now add the cooked toor dhal , rice combination and stir well


How to prepare bisi bele bath powder
dhania or coriander seeds - 2 table spoons
gram dhal or kadalai paruppu - 1 1/2 table spoons
red chillies 10 to 12
fenugreek or vendhayam - 1 tea spoon
pattai lavangam ( cinnamon and cloves )
khas khas or poppy seeds .  I use grated desiccated coconut


 Dry roast all the ingredients with a little oil except desiccated coconut, because it can get over cooked or burnt as it gets cooked earlier

 Once all the ingredients are cooked , add the desiccated coconut and roast till it changes colour

 Transfer the ingredients to a plate and allow them to cool.  When cool dry grind in a mixer.


Spread this powder on the rice, dhal and vegetables getting cooked.  Four or five tea spoons should be enough for  150ml rice and 150 ml dhal ( the volume of tumbler used approximately )

 When it is cooked completely, saute with mustard, urad dhal , asafoetida, few red chillies and cashew nuts.  Serve hot for Sunday lunch .



Since it tastes best when served hot , it is not suitable for a lunch box recipe unless we are able to preserve it hot till lunch

The side dishes that are suitable include raitha and potato chips

How to make crispy potato chips

Take medium sized potatoes , peel them.  Using a slicer directly slice them in hot oil.  When the slices turn golden brown in colour remove them , drain the oil .  Add salt .  Adding chilly powder is optional.