Bisibele bath is a dish from Karnataka but also popular in Hyderabad. It’s a spicy and sour mix of rice and lentils.  My mom uses left over rice and dal to make excellent instant bisi bele bath. It’s a quick makeover to the left over dal rice. Just add some mixed vegetables, spices and you have an interesting and delicious breakfast/lunch dish ready.

Hyderabad has numerous restaurants which serve a dish called sambar rice with veggies. This recipe of my mom comes closest to it. My mom uses the khatti dal that we prepare at home. You can use any toor (split pigeon pea) based dal. I haven’t tried this dish with other lentils yet. If you are using a dal which is not sour, add tamarind water while cooking.

You can use any vegetables you like for this dish but I prefer carrots, beans and peas. The main ingredients for this dish are sambar powder and the karampodi. They take this simple dal rice mix to another level. You can add or reduce the karampodi as per your preference of spice in food.  Bisibele bath can be served a breakfast or lunch. It tastes best when it is hot.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 dry red chillies
• ¼ tsp asafetida
• 8-10 curry leaves
• 1 small onion chopped
• ¼ cup mixed vegetables chopped (carrot, beans, peas)
• 1 small tomato chopped
• ½ tbsp sambar powder
• 1 tbsp karam podi (gun powder served with idlis or south Indian meals)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1 cup dal (I used the khatti dal my mom prepares at home)
• 1 tbsp tamarind water (optional)
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp coriander
• Salt to taste

Recipe

Heat oil in a pressure cooker.  Add mustard and cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add dry red chillies, asafetida, and curry leaves.

Add onions and vegetables and sauté for 1-2 mins. Add tomatoes and cook for 30-40 seconds. Add sambar powder, karam podi, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well. Add dal and 1 cup water.  Close the cooker and cook till the pressure is released once (one whistle). Switch off the gas after one whistle. Once the cooker is cooled, open and add rice and mix well. Close the cooker again and cook on slow flame till you get two more whistles. Open the cooker once it is cooled completely. Add chopped coriander and serve hot with papad and lime pickle.