Recipe: Bisi Bele Bhaath

[Guest guest]

This is wonderful. I've adapted it slightly for American kitchens and

my own

chilehead tastes. It's South Indian, so it can take the chiles.

 

-Begin Recipe Export-

QBook version 1.00.14

Title: BISI BELE BHAATH, P. V. Sarkar, ed. by Rain

Keywords: South Indian, beans, rice, vegan option, gluten-free

 

1 cup long-grain rice, preferably jasmine or Basmati

1 cup/ toor/tuvar dhal /(split pigeon peas--Americans, try Latino

markets if you don't have Indian ones)

2 cups frozen or fresh mixed chopped vegetables, your choice

1 cup tamarind juice (soak golfball-sized lump of tamarind paste

in 1 c. water for 15 min. Squeeze and squash juice out.)

1/2 cup unsweetened dried (dessicated) coconut

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 to 10 very hot red chiles, minced

1 tsp anise or fennel seeds--or add 1/2 to 1 c. chopped

bulb fennel to the veggies. This is great.

1 " piece stick cinnamon

About 1/2 tsp. whole cardamom seeds

6 cloves

8 peppercorns

1/2 [to 1] tsp. turmeric powder

1 tsp. minced garlic or garlic paste

1 tsp. minced ginger or ginger paste

2 Tbsp canola or other vegetable oil (not olive!)

6 curry leaves [hard to find in my part of the US, and

pricey when found, so I use (please forgive me!)

a tsp. of commercial curry powder.]

1 tsp black or brown mustard seeds

2 onions, sliced thin

Salt to taste

Coriander leaf or parsley for garnish

Yogurt or a coconut chutney (optional)

 

Wash the /dhal/ and add 1 1/2 cups water. Cook in a pressure cooker

till half done, or cook on stovetop with just enough water to get

them done without scorching. Watch carefully!] Set aside.

 

Roast all spices except mustard and turmeric in a small dry skillet or

small

heavy pan till very aromatic,

 

Mix with coconut, turmeric powder, ginger and garlic and process/blenderize

into a thick paste using a little water at a time. Set this/ masala/ aside.

 

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves [if using]. When

they stop

spluttering, add onions and fry till soft.

 

Add the tamarind juice and 1 cup of water to this and bring to a boil.

Add rice,

vegetables, dhal, masala and salt to taste and cook till all are done.

 

Garnish with herb leaves and/or yogurt or chutney, and serve hot.

Source: Petrina Verma Sarkar on About.com, adapted by Rain.

/*Please do not remove source tag*!

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End Recipe Export-

Rain

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