Bisibelabath (Sambar Rice) Recipe

Most of the time I go to South Indian marriages only to eat. There will be a variety of dishes covering your entire plate. In all the marriages there are few default dishes and 'Bisibelabath' is one among them. Though it is for sure that this dish will be present, it tastes differently every time. Sometimes it will be scrumptious and other times it won't be that delicious. It all depends on the cook. I learnt this recipe from my mother and I love this dish.

Ingredients:

Rice- 2 Cups
Toordal- 1 cup
Vegetables - 1 cup (Cauliflower,Potato, carrot, beans & peas. Cut the vegetables into big pieces.)
Tomato - 1 medium sized
Onion- 1 medium sized
Tamarind - small lemon size
Turmeric powder - 1/2tsp
Salt - To taste
hing - a pinch
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Water - 4cups
Oil/Ghee - 2tsp
turmeric powder- 1/2tsp
Fried Cashew - 1/4cup

To grind:

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
dhania - 1tbsp
red chilli - 4-5
Channa Dal - 2tsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp


Method 1:

Soak the Tamarind in water for 20mts.
Pressure cook the Toordal along with chopped onions, tomatoes and the cut vegetables.
Fry and Grind all the 'To grind' ingredients either in oil or ghee. If you use ghee, your rice will have rich taste.
Mix this paste along with the rice to the cooked dal.
Add tamarind water to this along with turmeric powder,salt and 4
cups of water.
Pressure Cook this for 5 whistles.
Finally add Ghee and fried cashews.
Serve hot.

Method 2:

Soak the Tamarind in water for 20mts.
Pressure cook the Toordal.
Fry and Grind all the 'To grind' ingredients either in oil or ghee. If you use ghee, your rice will have rich taste.
Cook the rice separately either in pressure cooker or in rice cooker.
In a kadai, pour 1tsp or ghee/oil and add mustard. Once these seeds pop, add Cumin seeds,hing, onion and fry till the onion turns brown.
Add the cut tomatoes and the cut vegetables and fry for few seconds.
Add 1 cup of water and cook these in a Sim flame.
Once the vegetables are half cooked, add the tamarind paste and the cooked dal and wait until the vegetables are fully cooked.
Now add the cooked rice and this gravy and mix well.
Finally add Ghee and fried cashews.
Serve hot.


Note: You can use any vegetable if your choice for this dish.

Happy cooking!