Bisibelebath - Sambar sadam

Preparation time : 20 mins
Cook time : 30 - 35 mins

Bisibelebath recipe is one of the most popular traditional dish from karnataka cuisine. Bisibelebath is so popular that you get it so easily in the south- indian resturants in bangalore. whenever i visit bangalore, i would like to order bisibelebath :-) when its hot it melts in our mouth !!! Making this recipe is long process, but it tastes so good. The masala which we add into this recipe gives authentic flavor. Do try this dish and let me know how it turned out !!!

Ingredients needed :

Rice - 3/4 cup
Toor dal - 1/2 cup
Pearl onions - 7
Beans - 8- 9
Carrot - 1 1/2 (medium- size)
Potato - 1( big- size)
Frozen peas - fistful
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - small lemon- sized
Ghee - 1 tsp

Roast and grind (Bisibelebath powder)

Oil - 1 tsp
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Channa dal/ Bengal gram - 2 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Long red chilli - 6
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon stick - 1(small in size)
Poppy seeds/ Kasa kasa - 1 tsp

For seasoning :

Oil
Mustard seeds
curry leaves
Pearl onions - 5 (chopped length- wise)
Asafoetida/ hing - 1/4 tsp

Method :

1. Soak tamarind with little water. Cut the beans in one inch size. Peel the skin of carrot and potato and chop into medium- sized cubes.
2. Wash rice and toor dal in different vessel. Add two cups of water to rice and keep it aside. For toor dal add around 2 - 3 cups of water along with turmeric powder and veggies into it (Beans, carrot, potato, frozen peas, pearl onions).
3. Pressure cook the rice and dal with veggies for 3 whistles on medium- high flame.
4. Mean while heat oil in a pan, roast the ingredients listed under bisibelebath powder, adding coconut at the end. Roast until it turns slightly brown in colour. Allow it to cool. Grind along with tamarind soaked in water into a fine paste. Add water to make a paste if needed.
5. Transfer the smooth paste into another heavy bottomed pan with required amount of water and salt into it.Add one spring of curry leaves. Let it boil for 5 mins.
6. Add in the cooked dal with veggies into it. It would be like in sambar consistency, add some more water. Wait till the veggies and dal combines well into the masala.
7. Now add 1/2 tsp of oil, add in the cooked rice, a tsp of ghee for flavor and mix well. simmer and cook for another five more minutes or till you get the bisibelebath consistency.
8. Heat oil in a pan add the ingredients listed under seasoning and pour it into the bisibelebath and switch off the flame.

 Serve with raita, boondi, pappad or as it is with toppings of ghee.

Tips :

• You can prepare bisibelebath powder and store it in air tight container, except adding grated coconut. Kopra/ dry cocount powder can be used as it will not get spoiled.
• Pearl onions and ghee enhances the flavor of bisibelebath.
• Turnip is the best veggie can be added and tastes good .
• As tomato and capsicum absorbs the taste from bisibelebath, i dint use it. Check for salt.
• Finally you can add little- bit of jaggery if needed.

Serving size : 3- 4

Murungai keerai poriyal - Drumstick leaves stir fry

Preparation time : 15- 20 mins
Cook time : 10 mins

Drumstick leaves has lot of health benefits. Some people use it as a nutritional supplement or tonic.
I love drumstick leaves poriyal lots, sometimes i used to have as a side-dish with sambar or as it is. It tastes yummy and delicious :) It takes more time to separate the leaves from stalks, but its worthier to do it. It is rich in iron, calcium and vitamin C. Do try this recipe and let me know how it turned out  !!!

Ingredients needed :

Drumstick leaves - 2 small bunches
Tor dal -  1 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Onion - 1
Red chilli - 1- 2
Coconut - 5 pieces (medium- sized)
Sugar - a pinch
Salt as needed

For seasoning :

Oil
Mustard seeds
Curry leaves

Method :

1. Remove leaves from the stem. Yields around (1- 1/2 cup). 
2. Wash and pressure cook the drumstick leaves with enough water, adding a pinch of sugar and salt needed into it. Cook for 2 -3 whistles.
3. Pressure cook the tor dal along with turmeric powder and needed water into it for 2 whistles.
4. Once the pressure cooker subsided, allow it to cool. Squeeze the leaves and extract the water from it using your palms and place it in another bowl. Separate the leaves with fingers.
5. Heat oil in a pan add in the mustard seeds, once it sputters. Add in the curry leaves, chopped onion.Wait until it becomes translucent.
6. Add in the cooked drumstick leaves, cooked dal and stir well. If needed add salt into it .
7. Mean while grind the coconut pieces and red chilli coarsely and add into the mixture. Stir well and switch off the flame.

Serve as a side-dish for rice, sambar or any kuzhambu.

Tips :

• Make sure the dal should not be mushy. No need of soaking dal, exact 2 whistles is enough for the perfect dal to be cooked.
• Instead of red chilli can add sambar powder or chilli powder following the drumstick leaves.
• Adding sugar helps retaining the colour of drumstick leaves.

Serving size : 2- 3