RECIPE: Bisibela hulianna - South Indian rice dish

[Guest guest]

This is a one-pot meal from the state of Karnataka in South India. It's a

spicy-hot curried mix of rice, various vegetables and lentils, simmered to a

risotto-like texture where the rice and lentils dont stand out in separate

grains. Especially in cold countries, the bisibela tastes all the better if it's

eaten the next day - the flavours develop and mellow beautifully. Bisibela is

not difficult to make... it just takes time and a little effort :-)

 

BISIBELA HULIANNA

 

Ingredients:

----------------

Toor (or arhar) dhall - 3/4 cup

Basmati rice - 1-1/2cups

Peeled baby pearl onions - a handful (or two medium onions sliced thin)

One medium carrot, cut in 1/4-inch thick rounds

One big potato - cut into small chunks

Fresh or frozen green beans, chopped into inch-long pieces - 1/2 cup

Fresh or frozen peas - 1/2 cup

Tomatoes - 2 medium, chopped

Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 2 generous tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp (optional)

Salt to taste

Water - 10 cups, and more as required

 

To make into a powder:

 

Dried red chillies - 3 (more if you like it hotter)

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp

Poppy seeds - 1 tsp

Cloves - 2

Cinnamon - 1 " piece, or 1 tsp powdered

Cardamom - 2

Aniseed - 1/2 tsp

 

For tempering:

--------------------

Black mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Cashew nuts, roughly broken - 15-20 pieces

Handful of curry leaves (optional)

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (optional)

 

METHOD

1. Wash rice and dhaal thoroughly, and soak separately for 30 minutes.

 

2. Fry the ingredients for the powder in 1/2 tsp oil till the fenugreek turns

darker (about a minute). Cool and grind to a fine powder in a coffee grinder.

Set aside.

 

3. Put the soaked dhall in a big heavy-bottomed pot with a lid and add 10 cups

water, and 1 tbsp cooking oil (not olive). Let it come to a boil, then simmer

for 10 minutes. Scoop out and discard any froth.

 

4. Next, add the drained rice and vegetables, turmeric powder and tamarind

paste, and let it cook till the rice is half-done.

 

5. Add the masala powder and salt to taste, mix thoroughly. Add more water if

required, and let the bisibela cook on a slow simmer till the rice and dhall

break down to a mushy texture. Stir it occasionally so that it doesnt stick to

the bottom of the pot, and ensure that there is always enough water.

 

For the tempering:

 

6. Heat the ghee in a small pan, add the mustard seeds; cover and let them

splutter (about 30 seconds). Then add the curry leaves & asafoetida (if using)

and the cashewnuts, and fry till the nuts turn golden brown.

 

7. Pour this tempering over the cooked bisibela and mix well. Add a dollop of

ghee while serving, and accompany the bisibela with fried poppadoms/salted

potato crisps, and thick yoghurt on the side, if required.

 

Note: The bisibela tastes better for being kept overnight, then re-heated the

next day. I personally prefer to heat it on the hob rather than in the

microwave. More water may be added if required, as the consistency should be

loose, rather like a risotto.

 

Finely chopped cilantro can be added as a final garnish.

 

Chronicles of Riddick DVD/VHS 3rd January

http://www.lycos.co.uk/entertainment/riddick/

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Oops - forgot to add that this recipe will serve 4 comfortably!

 

> : " recipesonly " <recipesonly

>

> RECIPE: Bisibela hulianna - South Indian rice dish

> Sun, 13 Feb 2005 14:22:43 GMT

 

 

This is a one-pot meal from the state of Karnataka in South India. It's a

spicy-hot curried mix of rice, various vegetables and lentils, simmered to a

risotto-like texture where the rice and lentils dont stand out in separate

grains. Especially in cold countries, the bisibela tastes all the better if it's

eaten the next day - the flavours develop and mellow beautifully. Bisibela is

not difficult to make... it just takes time and a little effort :-)

 

BISIBELA HULIANNA

 

Ingredients:

----------------

Toor (or arhar) dhall - 3/4 cup

Basmati rice  - 1-1/2cups

Peeled baby pearl onions - a handful (or two medium onions sliced thin)

One medium carrot, cut in 1/4-inch thick rounds

One big potato - cut into small chunks

Fresh or frozen green beans, chopped into inch-long pieces - 1/2 cup

Fresh or frozen peas - 1/2 cup

Tomatoes - 2 medium, chopped

Ghee (clarified butter) - 2 tbsp

Tamarind paste - 2 generous tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp (optional)

Salt to taste

Water - 10 cups, and more as required

 

To make into a powder:

 

Dried red chillies  - 3 (more if you like it hotter)

Fenugreek seeds - 1 tsp

Coriander seeds  - 1 tsp

Poppy seeds - 1 tsp

Cloves  - 2

Cinnamon - 1 " piece, or 1 tsp powdered

Cardamom - 2

Aniseed - 1/2 tsp

 

For tempering:

--------------------

Black mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Cashew nuts, roughly broken - 15-20 pieces

Handful of curry leaves (optional)

1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (optional)

 

METHOD

1. Wash rice and dhaal thoroughly, and soak separately for 30 minutes.

 

2. Fry the ingredients for the powder in 1/2 tsp oil till the fenugreek turns

darker (about a minute). Cool and grind to a fine powder in a coffee grinder.

Set aside.

 

3. Put the soaked dhall in a big heavy-bottomed pot with a lid and add 10 cups

water, and 1 tbsp cooking oil (not olive). Let it come to a boil, then simmer

for 10 minutes. Scoop out and discard any froth.

 

4. Next,  add the drained rice and vegetables, turmeric powder and tamarind

paste, and let it cook till the rice is half-done.

 

5. Add the masala powder and salt to taste, mix thoroughly. Add more water if

required, and let the bisibela cook on a slow simmer till the rice and dhall

break down to a mushy texture. Stir it occasionally so that it doesnt stick to

the bottom of the pot, and ensure that there is always enough water.

 

For the tempering:

 

6. Heat the ghee in a small pan, add the mustard seeds; cover and let them

splutter (about 30 seconds). Then add the curry leaves & asafoetida (if using)

and the cashewnuts, and fry till the nuts turn golden brown.

 

7. Pour this tempering over the cooked bisibela and mix well. Add a dollop of

ghee while serving, and accompany the bisibela with fried poppadoms/salted

potato crisps, and thick yoghurt on the side, if required.

 

Note: The bisibela tastes better for being kept overnight, then re-heated the

next day. I personally prefer to heat it on the hob rather than in the

microwave. More water may be added if required, as the consistency should be

loose, rather like a risotto.

 

Finely chopped cilantro can be added as a final garnish.

 

Chronicles of Riddick DVD/VHS 3rd January

http://www.lycos.co.uk/entertainment/riddick/

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

> Oops - forgot to add that this recipe will serve 4 comfortably!

 

It's okay - I have just put the recipe up in the Files (Maida is taking a break

for

a few days) and have noted that it serves 4 ;=)

 

This is a useful recipe, not only because it is in one pot but because it can be

made ahead of time *and* tastes the better for it - which means the leftovers

would taste better than the first time round. Not that I think there would be

much left over of this dish - absolutely delicious in concept. We shall be

trying

this one here soon! Many thanks.

 

Best,

Pat ;=)