Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Bisi Bele Baath(BBB)....aka....Bisi Bele Huli Anna....the patented dish of Karnataka!!

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Bisi Bele Bath is another classic authentic dish from Karnataka.To make this delicious BBB a lot of prior preparation is required and more over it is time consuming to make a tasty and delicious BBB.BBB is a one pot meal and is filling too which is apt for a brunch or lunch on lazy weekends.The procedure to make the masala for BBB may vary from one home to another,I am sharing with you the recipe with which we make BBB at home.Some people might follow simple techniques to make the process simpler by pressure cooking everything together and adding masalas at the end,but the taste of it will not even match a bit to the traditionally prepared one.

Bisi Bele Bath literally means 'hot lentil rice' in kannada which is evident by the name that one should eat BBB piping hot,but for me it absolutely tastes good either hot or cold.Ideally BBB should be sprinkled over generously with spicy boondi and served with thick and creamy onion-tomato raita and some potato chips.My mom used to make special variety of thick potato chips which are par boiled and sun dried and which can be stored for a year.All you need to do is just fry them in oil when required and season with salt and chili powder and munch them as a snack or eat them with BBB,they taste very nice and quite different from the regular potato chips.

There are some childhood memories associated for me with this BBB as it used to appear very frequently in our lunch boxes.My brother's friends who are from Andhra had kept a nice name for this dish,they used to call it as 'Alla Baath' as they found it difficult to pronounce Bisi Bele Baath.My mom used to make a huge quantity of BBB which would be sufficient for four of us to eat as breakfast and lunch and sometimes I used to eat it even for dinner,yes I am that crazy about this delicious BBB.

I rarely make this at home even though I love it because of the lengthy process involved in making it and that is the reason why I have not blogged about this so far.Even the photographs I used in this post are more than two year old and was not happy with the photographs and that is one more reason I did not post it.I will try updating the post with new photographs when I prepare it next time.My BBB turned little brown in color as I did not have red chili powder at that moment,the addition of byadige mirch powder will give a nice red color to BBB.The list of ingredients and method seems quite lengthy and elaborate,but the end product is quite worthy for the effort you put in.

Ingredients:
1 cup heaped rice(sona masuri or anything similar)
3/4 cup toor dal
3 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tsp grated jaggery
1/4 cup grated dry coconut
1 tsp red chili powder(preferably byadige mirch powder for more color)
a pinch of turmeric
salt to taste
2-3 tbsp oil

Vegetables required:
2 carrots,diced
2 potatoes,diced
15 french beans,chopped
1/2 cup dried green peas,soaked
1/4 cup dried double beans,soaked
2 big tomatoes,finely chopped
1 big capsicum,finely chopped
2 big onions,finely chopped

for tempering:
3-4 tbsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds
a handful of peanuts
10-12 cashewnuts,broken
a sprig of curry leaves
a pinch of hing

for Bisi Bele Bath Masala:
1 tbsp urad dal
1 tbsp chana dal
1" cinnamon
5-6 cloves
1 mace
1/4 tsp methi seeds
10-12 red chillies
5-6 byadige red chillies
2 tbsp coriander seeds
3 tsp poppy seeds
1/4 cup dry coconut,grated
salt
Method:
for masala:
  • Dry roast chana dal,urad dal,cinnamon,laung,mace,red chillies,coriander seeds until brown and keep them aside
  • Dry roast methi seeds,poppy seeds and dry coconut until slight brown in color and mix with the above roasted spices and add enough salt to it and grind to a slight coarse powder.
  • You can store this in a clean bottle for weeks together for further usage as we need 3 tbsp of this powder to make one time.
To make BBB:
  • Pressure cook soaked toor dal with turmeric for 3 whistles until soft and keep it aside.
  • Pressure cook washed and soaked rice(for 30 mins) with 2 and 1/2 cups of water for 3 whistles or until done.Keep in one container soaked dry green peas and double beans in the pressure cooker while cooking rice.
  • Pressure cook the vegetables potato,carrot and beans for 2 whistles or microwave them for 4-5 mins.
  • In a big heavy bottomed kadai or cooker heat oil and add finely chopped onions and fry until translucent and add chopped capsicum and fry for a couple of minutes.
  • Now add chopped tomatoes and fry until you get a pulpy mixture,it takes approximately 3-4 mins.
  • Add cooked toor dal,tamarind pulp,grated jaggery,salt and 2-3 cups of water to it and let it come to a boil.
  • Add cooked Vegetable,boiled peas and double beans and cooked rice and mix well.
  • Add 3 tbsp of powdered BBB masala,red chili powder to the above mixture and simmer it and cook for 12-15 mins.
  • Now check the taste of it and adjust the sourness(by adding more tamarind pulp),spicyness(by adding BBB masala) and salt according to your taste buds.This is the most important step as a well balanced taste of BBB tastes out of this world.
  • Add grated dry coconut and mix well and cook for another 3-4 mins.
  • Mean while heat a small tadka pan and melt ghee,add mustard seeds and crackle them.Add peanuts and fry until they are slight golden brown.Add cashew nuts and let them turn slight golden and add curry leaves and hing and quickly switch off the flame.
  • Pour the tempering over the Bisi bele baath and give a nice mix to it and cook for another 2 mins.
Serve it piping hot with onion-tomato raita,potato chips and use spicy boondi to top the Bisi Bele baath.

56 comments:

Prathima Rao said...

This ones my fav too!!! We had it just last weekend..We usually use the ready made MTR masal podwer..But no doubt freshly ground masal makes a whole lot of a diff..Will try this one out next time..And yes we have it with french fries & radish raita..
Prathima Ra
Prats Corner

Indian Khana said...

I do agree with you ...just posted my version few days back and this making me feel hungry

Raks said...

Classic dish and you have explained so well and tempted me enough to try it out...one of my mami makes the potato chips you had mentioned about.. I love it too and its excellent combo for this I know!
And this pic is not that bad,looks nice only!

Unknown said...

My recipe is still in posting process he looks so delicious and those nuts ummmm so inviting nice post dear.
Prathibha choostunte nee tummy full ayipotundi he eee..

Harika baratam said...

Sounds great prathy loved your version awesome too.

Ramya said...

Totally agree with you BBB is a complete meal:-)
Urs look totally yummy n zesty:-)

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Looks absolutely yumm :) MY fav one and wish I can have that whole bowl now. Too tempting .Pictures are good too prathy.

Jeyashris Kitchen said...

my fav one pot meal. Making me hungry prathiba.

KrithisKitchen said...

Wow.. so authentic and adorable... Love BBB any time.. Awesome clicks!
http://krithiskitchen.blogspot.com

Saritha said...

This is my fav dish,i just love this.

CurryLeaf said...

Love this dish. I am familiar to MTR BBB. Never tried at home thgh.
Looks very inviting Prathibha.I must try this.

Lakshmi ...Rasoi ki Malkin..northern and southern spices said...

Its a favourite of me,looks yummlicious

aipi said...

Wholesome n comforting..loved the peanuts topping!

US Masala

Akila said...

my all time favorite dear... fantastic clicks and tempting dish...

DNSW: E Roundup
Dish Name Starts with F
Learning-to-cook
Regards,
Akila

Unknown said...

Looking at the picture is really making me very HUNGRY!!!!

Unknown said...

BB with chips/raita is my all time fav...looks super tasty n perfect too

Unknown said...

comforting BBB...i love it!...

Sensible Vegetarian said...

Looks absolutely delicious, love the topping. Wouldn't mind grabbing that bowl.

Lifewithspices said...

one of my fav dish loving ur clicks tempting..

chitraj.hegde said...

Absolute my all time fav dish....I love to eat any time.....and I loved your recipe..bit different from mine...will try this for sure...and lovely click too...

Priya said...

The baath looks heavenly and made with freshly ground masala takes it to whole new level. Its been a while since I've made it and your recipe is very tempting.

Priya dharshini said...

i never tried with poppy seeds masala for BBB...BBB luks too good and i am drooling here....

swapna said...

Our family fav...u made it soo perfect and delicious one pot meal!!

Rachu said...

Beautiful BBB... loving the recipe and those peanut nd cashew topping

ammaandbaby.blogspot.com/

Priya Suresh said...

Comforting,wholesome and delicious BBB..inviting..

AJ said...

Yum, yum!! Love this - I make it every time I get a craving.

divya said...

Rice preparation looks awesome. Drooling over it.

Satrupa said...

Looks Delicious ..... the peanuts look so inviting. This is one of my fav one pot meals.

Cheers, Satrupa
http://satrupa-foodforthought.blogspot.com

Lakshmi said...

ahaaa....belbeligge nange idanna nodi joru hasive agtha ide. Slurrrrrp! Our love for BBB cannot be expressed by words.

Radhika said...

Hey click looks just awesome only makes me crave for more.

suma said...

The BBB made with freshly ground masala always tastes no much more delicious than the one made with the ready powder. I hardly make fresh masala(yes!). thanks for sharing your version Pratibha!

Shanthi Krishnakumar said...

Wonderful, perfect and well presented
http://shanthisthaligai.blogspot.com/

Gayathri Kumar said...

My favorite dish from karnataka. Looks so yummy..

Pushpa said...

Mouthwatering bisebelabath looks delicious.

Shama Nagarajan said...

my favourite...too tempting

Reva said...

lovely dish and beautifully presented... the preparation is lengthy but the result looks super... worth the effort. Do post the recipe for the special potato chips that your mom prepares... your write up is so nice.... good going.
Reva

Sharmi said...

wehad it recently at MTR and it was great.
Yours looks drool worth!

Sushma Mallya said...

beautifully presented prathibha ...is such a comfort food and fav in my family too:)

Laavanya said...

I can't get enough of BBB - so very tempting Prathiba :)

arthi said...

am drooling here..love it..

Cham said...

U make me hungry, very delicious one :)

Chitra said...

looks awesome. I couldnt find a single grain of rice in that bowl perfect BBB :)

Chaitanya said...

looks great and mouth watering
www.rajafood.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

looks awesome......
I have shared an award with you.
Please collect your award from
http://cuisinedelights.blogspot.com

Meena Thennaapan said...

Hi
the ultimate comfort food
Topping it with Boondi - have to try

Priyanka Agrawal said...

i bought all ingredients yday and will try it soon

Priyanka Agrawal said...

dear i made it again today and it turned out better. thanks dear for ur help. i have updated the pic also on my blog. btw i have sent this entry to the tried and tested event for ur blog. i made the spinach pasta also frm ur blog but was not able to take a pic so will not be posting. will keep visiting ur blog for more recipes :)

DV said...

This is my all-time favorite!I can eat it on its own! Making it with fresh masala is the best! Your bisi bela bath looks very inviting! :)

-Divya
TastyVegCooking

Anonymous said...

i tried this today ,it turned out amazing.thanks for the awesome recipe,

cheers
meena

chef and her kitchen said...

@meena ...Glad you liked it and thanks for letting me know

Anonymous said...

What is dried double beans? is it white rajma or something like avarekalu..white dried seeds get in supermarket those. pls reply..i want to try this.

chef and her kitchen said...

@anonymous..double beans are flat bid broad beans seeds or butter beans..if you don't get you can leave that, it is optional..but it adds nice bite to BBB

V.KUWAIT said...

Tried this RECIPE today and it turned out excellent.perfect BBB.

Divya SRIPrakash said...

hi prathibha.. love all ur recipe and cooking style.. i was looking for ur mysorepak recipe.. can't find it.. i had done it following ur recipe and it came out really good.. now i can't find the recipe.. plz repost it.. thank u.. :)

chef and her kitchen said...

@janaki ...thanks for ur comment...I think u r mistaken, I have not posted mysore pak recipe..but I hv 7 cup cake recipe..if u want u can check it http://www.chefandherkitchen.com/2012/11/seven-cups-cake-7-cups-burfi-easy.html

Anonymous said...

Very nicely explained.. Yes indeed, it is patented dish of Karnataka :D

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