Powerpacked One-Pot Dish

Bisibelebath, a word too familiar with true Bangaloreans :) A wholesome one pot dish packed with protein (toor dal), nutrients (veggies) and carbohydrate (rice) + mighty comforting! Eaten hot with crisp tangy boondi* and raita or pachhadi*. I turned to this simple yet filling combo for dinner when we had friends over the other day. Teamed with crisp masala vades*, cucumber pachhadi, some cooling yogurt rice and (very) sweet semiya payasam*, it made for a satisfying menu, or so our guests implied :)

I'm posting the recipes for bisibelebath and cucumber pachhadi -

Bisibelebath -

• 1 cup rice (washed and drained)
• 1/2 cup toor dal (washed and drained)
• 2 cups mixed veggies - cubed - I had carrot, potato, green beans, peas and avarekalu (hyacinth beans)
• 2-3 tbspns bisibelebath powder (store bought or made from scratch) - I used MTR ready powder
• 1 tspn tamarind paste
• 1/2 tspn jaggery - crushed (molasses)
• salt to taste

For tempering -

• 1 tbspn ghee (clarified butter) or oil
• 1/4 tspn mustard seeds
• a pinch of hing (asafotieda)
• a handful of curry leaves
• a handful of peanuts
• a pinch of turmeric

Method -

You could quite easily follow the recipe on the MTR packet. Nevertheless -

• Cook rice and dal together. (I used a pressure cooker)
• Cook veggies separately (I cooked them in the microwave)
• Combine cooked rice+dal and veggies in a big sauce pot. Add enough water to bring to a semi solid consistency, like that of a thick porridge.
• Add all other ingredients, one by one and mix well. Bring to a light simmer.
• Heat ghee/oil in a small pan and all ingredients for tempering.
• Pour over the simmering bisibelebath and mix well.
• Serve hot with a dollop of ghee, boondi or potato chips and pachhadi.

Note: This dish tends to solidify and turn lumpy when left to cool. Before serving, add a wee bit of warm water and reheat, making sure the consistency is that of a thick porridge.

Cucumber Pachhadi -

• 2 medium cucumbers - finely chopped or grated
• 2-3 cups yogurt or buttermilk
• salt to taste

grind to a paste-

• 1/4 cup grated coconut
• 1/4 tspn jeera (whole cumin)
• 2-3 green chillies
• 2 tbspns fresh coriander - chopped

tempering -

• 1 tspn oil
• 1-2 dry red chillies, roughly broken into chunks
• 1/4 tspn mustard seeds
• a pinch of hing (asafotieda)
• a few curry leaves

Method -

• Tip in finely chopped cucumber into a large bowl.
• Combine coconut paste and yogurt and add to chopped cucumber.
• Add salt to taste and mix well. Adjust consistency by adding some water if the yogurt is thick. The consistency of pachhadi should be fairly loose.
• Heat oil in a small pan and add all ingredients for tempering.
• Pour tempering over the pachhadi and mix well.

Bisibelebath or BBB as some people fondly call it, is a signature dish from Karnataka. Try it and you're sure to enjoy its homely, wholesome taste :)

*boondi = a crisp tangy Indian savoury made from chickpea flour
*pachhadi = a yogurt based runny salad of sorts

*masala vades = crisp spicy lentil fritters (recipe here)
*semiya payasam = a sweet porridge made from milk, sugar and vermicelli