Photo: ManasaRao · CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped & optimised
Bisi Bele Bath
Karnataka (Mysuru palace tradition)
Karnataka's iconic 'hot lentil rice' — rice, toor dal and vegetables slow-cooked with a freshly ground bisi bele masala of roasted spices and coconut, finished with ghee, cashews and curry leaves.
What goes in
- Rice & toor dal
- Freshly ground bisi bele bath masala (byadgi chilli, coriander, cinnamon, marathi moggu, coconut)
- Tamarind & jaggery
- Seasonal vegetables, ghee, cashew, curry leaves
How we cook it
The masala is roasted and ground fresh for each batch — never store-bought — and the dish is simmered to the traditional soft, spoonable consistency, with a final ghee tadka of cashews and curry leaves.
Best served with
Khara boondi or potato chips on top, and a cup of curd on the side.
Why it's homely
One-pot, ladled hot, topped with crunch — bisi bele bath is the very definition of Kannadiga comfort food.
Why it's healthy
Dal and rice together form a complete protein; vegetables and tamarind add fibre and minerals in one balanced bowl.
Easy on digestion
Well-cooked dal-rice is among the gentlest meals in Indian tradition; hing and ginger in the masala do the digestive heavy-lifting.
Want Bisi Bele Bath on an upcoming weekend?
Specials are picked by neighbourly demand — a WhatsApp nudge works wonders.