Where it comes from
Documented in the kitchens of the Mysore Palace, bisi bele bath is a one-pot meal engineered for balance: rice, lentil, vegetable, tamarind, jaggery and ghee in a single spoonful.
Method
- 1
Cook rice and dal
20:00Pressure cook together with turmeric until very soft.
- 2
Cook the vegetables
10:00Boil the vegetables separately so they keep their bite.
- 3
Combine
20:00Add tamarind, masala, jaggery and salt to the rice-dal, then the vegetables and enough hot water to keep it loose. Simmer.
- 4
Ghee tadka
05:00Fry cashews and curry leaves in ghee until golden and pour over just before serving.
Cook's notes
- It thickens fast — serve it looser than you think it needs.
- Boondi on top is not optional in Bengaluru.
