Bisibelebath

Bisibele Bhat in Marathi

Time: 40 minutes
Makes: 3 servings

Ingredients:
3/4 cup rice
1/4 cup toor dal
1 tbsp tamarind
1 and 1/2 cup cut vegetables (Potatoes, green beans, eggplant, carrot, cauliflower)
Spices: 1 inch piece of cinnamon, 2 cardamoms, 2 bay leaves
For tempering: 1 tbsp ghee, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp hing, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tbsp Homemade sambar masala
Salt to taste
Special Tadka : 2 tbsp ghee, 1/4 tsp hing, 2 to 3 tbsp peanuts, 7-8 curry leaves

Method:
Bisibele bhat
1) Wash toor dal and pressure cook upto 4 whistles.(tip 1)
2) Soak tamarind in 1/4 cup hot water. After 10 minutes, squeeze the tamarind and bring out all the juice.
3) Heat a deep pan. Add 1 tbsp ghee. Saute cinnamon, cardamons and bay leaves for 5-7 seconds. Add cumin seeds, hing, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Add all the vegetables except eggplant. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Now add rice and 3 cups of water. Add tamarind juice and sambar masala. Cover and cook over medium heat.
4) We need semi solid consistency. Hence, add some water and adjust the consistency. When rice is 60 % done, add cooked dal and eggplants.
5) Cook for 10 minutes or till the rice is completely done.
6) Serve the Rice in plates. Heat a tadka pan. Add 2 tbsp ghee, hing, and peanuts. Keep the peanuts moving to cook them evenly. When peanuts become brown, add curry leaves and turn off the heat.
8) Pour this tadka over served rice. This tadka is very important and gives very nice flavor.

Tips:
1) After pressure releases, take the dal out. Do not whisk it. Let it dissolve on its own. Whisked dal changes the texture of bisibele bhat.