Recipe: Chef Nabar's Bisi Bele Bhaat

Bisi Bele Bhaat, the traditional Indian one-pot meal that is the Southern answer to Khichdi, combines rice, lentils, vegetables, spices. It is a hearty preparation that fills the belly and is yet nourishing.

Chef Roopa Nabar packs her preparation with vegetables, cashews, dals and rounds its taste off with tamarind and ghee.

Bisi Bele Bhaat

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup cooked toor or arahar dal or split pigeon peas 
• ½ carrot, cubed
• ½ cup green peas
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp split white urad dal or de-husked black gram
• 1 tbsp split channa dal or Bengal gram
• 6-7 dried red chillies
• 1 tbsp brown dhania or coriander seeds
• ½ tsp methi or fenugreek seeds
• 1 tsp hing or asafoetida
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 10-15 curry leaves
• 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
• Salt to taste, about 2 tsp
• 6-7 cashews
• 1 tsp haldi or turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp imli or tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp ghee + extra for garnishing
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves + for garnishing
• Water

Method

• Heat 2 cups water, over medium heat, in a saucepan or a kadhai.
  Add the carrots, green peas and blanch for 1 minute.
  Strain and keep aside.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan or a kadhai, over medium heat, and add the urad dal, channa dal, Bengal gram, dried red chillies, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida, garam masala powder, half the curry leaves and the coconut.
  Mix and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
  Take off heat and cool to room temperature and keep aside.
• Combine the cooked rice, toor dal, blanched vegetables in a saucepan, mix well and add 2 cups water, stir and cook over medium heat.
  Add the salt, remaining curry leaves, cashews and mix well.
• In an mixer/grinder, grind the sautéed ingredients into a fine paste using water if required.
  Add this to the rice mixture and mix well.
  Now add the turmeric powder and cover and cook for 8-10 minutes.
  Next add the tamarind paste and cook for 1-2 minutes more.
  Add 2 tbsp ghee and 2 tbsp of the chopped coriander and mix well.
• Take off heat, garnish with the remaining chopped coriander and a little ghee and serve hot.

Recipe: Kind courtesy TTK Prestige

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