Bisibele Bhaat - A wholesome rice-dhal-vegetable recipe from Karnataka

Ingredients:

• Vegetables - such as carrot, beans, potato, chow-chow, peas, avare-kaayi
• Tomato - 1 to 2
• Toor dhal - 1 cup
• Rice - 1 cup
• Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Tamarind - 1.5 tsp
• Curry leaves - 2 to 3 stalks
• Ghee - 5 to 6 tsp 
• Sambhar Powder - 2.5 tbsp
• Rasam Powder - 1 to 1.5 tsp 
• Salt - to taste

To garnish:

• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida - A pinch
• Red chilli - 1
• Ghee or oil - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Cook rice and dhal in separate containers in a cooker (for 4-5 whistles if you are using a pressure cooker). 
• Cut tomatoes into halves and add to dhal to cook, along with turmeric and a few drops of oil or ghee.
• Optional: You can also cook peanuts along with the dhal.
2. Cook vegetables separately with salt.
3. Add dhal and vegetables into a big vessel (with a thick base to avoid charring) with appropriate amount of water, and place on stove.
4. Add rasam powder and let it boil for 5 minutes.
5. Grind sambhar powder with coconut and add to the boiling mixture, along with tamarind, curry leaves and ghee.
6. When it starts to boil, add cooked rice to the mixture.
7. Allow the mixture to book for about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep stirring during the process.
8. Garnish with mustard, red chilli and asafoetida in ghee or oil.
9. Serve hot with a dash of ghee and chips by the side.