Mixed veggies* 2 cups Millet** 3/4 cup Toor dal 1/4 cup Water 2 and 1/2 cup (to cook the millet + dal) Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp + 2 pinches Small onion | shallots 1 cup Sesame oil 2 tblsp Ghee 1 tblsp Cooking oil 1 tsp Tamarind lemon sized Cashew nuts few (optional) Curry leaves few Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp To Roast and grind for the fresh sambar masala Dhaniya | Coriander seeds 2 tblsp Channa dal 2 tblsp Venthayam | Methi seeds 1 tsp Red chili 6-7 Kopra | dry coconut or fresh coconut 1/2 cup Oil 1 tsp *I used carrot, peas, beans and chow chow. ** I used Varagu| kodo millet, you can use any Millet of your choice.
Method
- Wash and cook the millet and dal.
- Add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida and add 2.5 cups of water to this.
- Cook this in a pressure cooker for 5-6 whistles.
- Peel the skin of onions and cut the veggies into cubes.
- Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract 2 cups of tamarind water.
- In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and roast the dhaniya,channa dal,venthayam and red chili till golden brown.
- Once it is roasted 3/4 th add the coconut to this. I used kopra,if using fresh coconut saute till it changes to golden brown colour.
- Allow this to cool completely and grind into a fine powder. Fresh sambar masala is ready.
- In a cooker,add sesame oil and ghee.
- Add the mustard seeds to this. Once it crackles add the small onions.
- Saute till becomes slightly brown and translucent.
- Add the veggies to this.
- Saute for a minute.
- Add the tamarind water to this now. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder,salt and a pinch of asafoetida.
- Now add the freshly ground sambar powder, reserving 1 tblsp aside for later use.
- Keep the flame low while adding the fresh sambar powder, else it may form lumps.
- When it starts boiling add the cooked millet toor dal mixture.
- Now add the freshly ground sambar powder, reserving 1 tblsp aside for later use.
- Close the cooker and cook for 1 whistle and keep in a lowest flame possible for 5 minutes.
- Once the pressure is released automatically, open the cooker and mix well. Add the curry leaves.
- Roast the cashew nuts in ghee and add it to the bisi bele bath.
- In 1 tsp of ghee or oil add the reserved 1 tblsp of freshly ground sambar masala, saute for few seconds and immediately transfer it to the bisi bele bath.
- Mix well. This gives a very fresh and wonderful aroma to the millet bisi bela bath.
- Mix well and serve hot with any side dish of your choice. A simple papad will also taste yum.
Method
- Wash and cook the millet and dal.
- Add 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and a pinch of asafoetida and add 2.5 cups of water to this.
- Cook this in pressure cooker for 5-6 whistles.
- Peel the skin of onions and cut the veggies into cubes.
- Soak the tamarind in hot water and extract 2 cups of tamarind water.
- In a pan add 1 tsp of oil and roast the dhaniya,channa dal,venthayam and red chili till golden brown.
- Once it is roasted 3/4 add the coconut to this. I used kopra,if using fresh coconut saute till it changes to golden brown colour.
- Allow this to cool completely and grind into a fine powder. Fresh sambar masala is ready.
- In a cooker,add sesame oil and ghee.
- Add the mustard seeds to this. Once it crackles add the small onions.
- Saute till becomes slightly brown and translucent.
- Add the veggies to this.
- Saute for a minute.
- Add the tamarind water to this now. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder,salt and a pinch of asafoetida.
- Now add the freshly ground sambar powder, reserving 1 tblsp aside for later use.
- Keep the flame low while adding the fresh sambar powder, else it may form lumps.
- When it starts boiling add the cooked millet toor dal mixture.
- Now add the freshly ground sambar powder, reserving 1 tblsp aside for later use.
- Close the cooker and cook for 1 whistle and keep in a lowest flame possible for 5 minutes.
- Once the pressure is released automatically, open the cooker and mix well. Add curry leaves.
- Roast the cashew nuts in ghee and add it to the bisi bele bath.
- In 1 tsp of ghee or oil add the reserved 1 tblsp of freshly ground sambar masala, saute for few seconds and immediately transfer it to the bisi bele bath.
- Mix well. This gives a very fresh and wonderful aroma to the millet bisi bela bath.
- Mix well and serve hot with any side dish of your choice. A simple papad will also taste yum.
- If you want you can make little extra sambar masala and store in an airtight container for a week. This can be used for potato and brinjal curry.
- Add 1/2 cup -1 cup of water before closing the cooker to get the right consistency of the bisi bele bath.
- I used Varagu, you can use any variety of millet like Samai, kuthravali or even samba wheat and quinoa too too.
- Adding 1 tblsp of fresh masala in the last gives a wonderful aroma to the bisi bele bath.
