Bisi Bele Bath

5 from 1 vote

This fantastic, one-pot Bisi Bele Bath has an assortment of veggies mixed in with lentils and rice. It's nourishing, hearty dinner and this homemade version is better than anything you might find at a south Indian restaurant.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian (South Indian)

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 383kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Equipment

Large pot or Dutch oven
Pressure cooker or saucepan (for cooking dal)

Ingredients

½ cup toor dal (arhar dal/split pigeon peas)
3 cups cooked basmati rice
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
½ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
3-4 sprigs fresh curry leaves
1 tablespoon tamarind extract
1 cup water
½ teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons jaggery (or sugar)
2 large tomatoes (chopped)
2 small sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes)
2 medium waxy potatoes (peeled and chopped into ½-inch cubes)
2 small eggplants (chopped into ½-inch cubes)
1 cup green beans (chopped into ½-inch pieces)
½ cup frozen green peas
3 heaping tablespoons bisi bele bath masala
Salt to taste
¼ cup cilantro (finely chopped, for garnish. Optional)

For final tadka (tempering)

2 teaspoons oil
2 tablespoons raw peanuts
2 tablespoons raw cashews

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds, wait until they pop, then add the asafetida and curry leaves.
Sauté the curry leaves for a few seconds, then add the tamarind extract and 1 cup water. Stir in the turmeric.
When the water comes to a boil, stir in the jaggery or sugar. Let the tamarind water cook 3-4 minutes on a simmer.
Stir in the tomatoes and let them cook down a little, about two minutes.
Add the sweet potatoes, potatoes, eggplants and green beans to the pot along with some salt. Mix well and bring the liquid in the pot back to a boil. Cover the pot and let the veggies cook 8-10 minutes or until they are very tender.
Stir in the frozen green peas and mix, followed by the bisi bele bath powder.
Add the rice and lentils to the pot. Mix them thoroughly with the vegetables and spices. Add another cup of water to the pot - you want the bisi bele bath to be slightly runny, like a khichdi or a risotto. Add salt to taste and mix.
Once the bisi bele bath has heated through and bubbles appear in the liquid, cover it and cook on low heat for five minutes. Turn off the heat and give the bisi bele bath a good stir.

Make the tadka

Heat the oil for the tadka in a small saucepan. Add the cashews and peanuts and cook them, stirring frequently, until they are a light gold color.
Pour the nuts over the bisi bele bath. Garnish with cilantro, if using, before you serve.

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