Bisi bele bath

Ingredients for 4 portions

• 150 gRice, sona masoori
• 100 gToor dal
• ≈ 1.1 lWater, for the cooker
• 3 mlTurmeric
• 20 gTamarind, a lemon-sized ball
• ≈ 500 mlWater, for the vegetables
• 1Carrot, in cubes
• 100 gGreen beans, in 2 cm pieces
• 1Potato, in cubes
• 80 gGreen peas, fresh or frozen
• ½Capsicum, in cubes
• 1 tbspJaggery, grated
• to tasteSalt
• 2 tbspChana dal
• 1 tbspUrad dal
• 2 tbspCoriander powder
• 1 tspCumin, seeds
• 3 mlBlack pepper, whole peppercorns
• 1 mlFenugreek seeds
• 1 gCinnamon, a 2–3 cm piece of stick
• 4Cloves
• 8Dried red chillies, Byadgi
• 1 tspPoppy seeds (khus khus)
• 3 tbspDesiccated coconut, dry coconut (kopra)
• 1 tspRefined oil, to roast the spices
• 3 tbspGhee
• 2 tbspCashew nuts
• 1 tspMustard seeds
• 2Dried red chillies, for the tadka
• 1 sprigCurry leaves
• 1 mlHing (asafoetida)

On the side

• 4Papads

Method

1. Wash the rice and toor dal together two or three times and put them in the pressure cooker with the water for the cooker and the turmeric.
2. Pressure-cook on medium heat for 5 whistles, about 15 minutes, and let the pressure drop by itself. The rice and dal should be very soft.
3. Soak the tamarind in a little of the water for the vegetables, hot, for 10 minutes. Then squeeze out the pulp and strain out the seeds and fibres.
4. Peel and cube the carrot and potato, cube the capsicum and cut the beans into 2 cm pieces.
5. In a large heavy pot, boil the vegetables and peas with the tamarind water, most of the remaining water for the vegetables, the jaggery and salt until tender, about 12 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, roast the masala: heat the oil in a small pan on low heat and roast the chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, cloves and Byadgi chillies, stirring, until the dals are golden and the spices smell toasty, about 5 minutes. Add the coriander powder, poppy seeds and dry coconut for the last minute.
7. Let the spices cool a little and grind them to a fine powder in the mixer jar.
8. Stir the ground masala into the rest of the water and add it to the vegetables. Boil for 3–4 minutes, until it no longer smells raw.
9. Mash the rice and dal lightly, stir them into the pot and simmer on low heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring now and then. Add a little hot water if it is too thick: it should be soft and flowing, as it thickens on standing.
10. Roast the papads one at a time over the gas flame with tongs until they blister all over.
11. For the tadka, heat the ghee in a small pan and fry the cashews until golden. Add the mustard seeds and, when they splutter, the dried red chillies for the tadka, the curry leaves and hing. Pour the sizzling tadka over the bisi bele bath and stir.
12. Serve the bisi bele bath hot, with the papads on the side.

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