Jay Chalam's Kitchen: Bisebele Bath

Sambhar is a staple dish in the southern states in India. Each region has a different name to it and has slight variation in preparation. Bisebele bath is the name given to sambar rice given in Karnataka. It is a mélange of vegetables cooked with rice and toor dal in tamarind water with homemade spice. It is a nutritional one pot dish with plenty of vegetables. My mom usually cooks the vegetables in tamarind water, and add cooked rice and dal to the sambhar. I made Bisebele bath over the weekend in my Instant Pot.

Ingredients:

1 cup rice, washed

1/2 cup toor dal, cooked

lemon sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water

3 tablespoon sesame oil

1 table spoon peanuts

10 pink pearl onions, peeled

1 small potato, peeled and diced

1 small carrot, peeled and diced

6 green beans, diced

10 cluster beans, diced

1 tablespoon diced pumpkin

10 flat beans, diced

1 table spoon peeled and diced plantain

salt to taste

4-5 cups water

For tempering:

1 table spoon ghee

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

5-6 curry leaves

For Masala:

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

10 red chili (adjust to taste)

1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek

1 teaspoon black gram dal (urad)

1 1/4 teaspoon Bengal gram dal (channa)

1/2 inch cinnamon

1 clove

1 1/2 tablespoon grated dry coconut (copra)

Method:

1. Dry roast poppy seeds and dry coconut in a pan. Remove from pan.

2. Next heat 1 teaspoon oil in the same pan and dry roast the remaining ingredients for masala. Allow to cool and powder in a blender. Set aside.

3. Set Instant Pot on saute mode. Heat oil. Sauté peanuts and onion.

4. Add the diced vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes.

5. Add tamarind water and 5 cups of water to the vegetables.

6. Stir in the rice and dal. Add salt as needed.

7. Stir in the powdered masala as per taste. Close the pot with the lid. Change setting to pressure cook for 14 minutes on high pressure with sealed vent. Open the lid when pressure is released.