Bisi Bele Bath

Description

 * Ethnicity - South Indian
 * Type of meal - Party, Lunch, Dinner

Ingredients

 * 1½ cups rice
 * ½ cup tur dal
 * 2 small brinjals
 * 1 carrot
 * 2 drumsticks
 * a small piece of vegetable marrow
 * a handful Madras onions
 * a pinch turmeric powder
 * 6 red chillies
 * 4 green chillies
 * 2 tsp mustard
 * 20 g cashew nut
 * a few curry leaves
 * a few coriander leaves
 * tamarind size of a lime
 * ghee for frying
 * salt to taste

Powdering

 * 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
 * 1 tsp coriander seeds
 * 6 red chillies
 * grated coconut

Masala

 * 4 cardamoms
 * 4 cloves
 * ½ tsp aniseeds
 * 1 tsp poppy seeds
 * a small piece cinnamon

Directions

 * 1) Peel Madras onions.
 * 2) Peel and cut vegetables into 1 inch pieces.
 * 3) Wash rice and dal thoroughly. Place it in a container with 2½ cups of water, a pinch of turmeric powder and chopped vegetables.
 * 4) Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the ingredients for powdering until fenugreek turns golden brown in colour. Powder and keep aside.
 * 5) Heat some more oil and fry poppy seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, aniseeds. Powder and keep aside.
 * 6) Soak tamarind in a little water and extract juice.
 * 7) Heat oil, add red and green chillies, mustard and curry leaves. When mustard crackles, add to rice and mix well. Add tamarind juice, salt to taste and mix thoroughly.
 * 8) Heat a little ghee and fry cashew nuts until golden brown in colour.
 * 9) Add to rice along with powdered ingredients and masala powder. Mix well. Remove from fire.
 * 10) Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and add some ghee just before serving.