Authentic Bisi Bele Bath Recipe with Homemade Love Bisi Bele Bath Powder

The Story Behind Homemade Love's Bisi Bele Bath Powder

There are few dishes that can warm your heart (and tummy!) quite like a bowl of hot, ghee-drizzled Bisi Bele Bath. A true South Indian classic, this spicy, tangy, and wholesome rice-lentil dish is comfort food at its finest. With Homemade Love’s Bisi Bele Bath Powder, you can recreate that traditional, homely taste — without hours in the kitchen.

This masala was created by Nagamani T.K, who learnt the craft by watching and absorbing wisdom from multiple family members over the years. Every roast, every spice, every aroma in this pudi carries a story — of kitchens filled with chatter, of rasam boiling in the background, and of recipes passed down with love, not written measurements.

A Multipurpose Masala!

This Bisi Bele Bath Powder can be use in multiple ways in multiple dishes. It's our family's secret to boost flavour in South Indian dishes like palyas, rice bath, and even upma!

1. Swap Rice for Millets for a Healthier Version

f you’re looking for a wholesome, guilt-free bowl, simply replace the rice with millets like foxtail (navane), barnyard (oodalu), or little millet (saame).
They cook beautifully with dal and soak up the masala just as well — giving you a nutritious, fibre-rich Bisi Bele Bath without losing any of the authentic flavour.

2. The Same Masala Makes Amazing Vangibath Too!

Don’t tuck the pouch away after this recipe.
Our Bisi Bele Bath Powder also doubles up as a fantastic Vangibath masala. Just sauté brinjal, add the pudi, mix with cooked rice, and you have a quick, flavour-packed Vangibath that tastes straight out of a Karnataka home.

🥕 Ingredients (Serves 4)

Main ingredients:

• Toor dal (thor dhal) – 1 cup (225 g)
• Sona masoori rice – ¾ cup (175 g)
• Haldi (turmeric powder) – ¼ tsp
• Oil – 1 tsp
• Diced vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, etc.) – 3 cups
• Tomato – 1 (diced)
• Capsicum – 1 small (diced)
• Homemade Love Bisi Bele Bath Powder – 2 tbsp
• Tamarind pulp – 2 tbsp
• Jaggery – 1 small cube (about 1 inch)
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Salt – 2 tsp (adjust to taste)

For the tadka (tempering):

• Oil or ghee – 2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
• Hing (asafoetida) – ¼ tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Dried red chilies – 2
• Cashews – a handful (optional)

🍲 Method: The Traditional Way

This is how our mothers and grandmothers made it — patiently, with love and ladle in hand.

1. Soak and prep:
   Wash and soak the toor dal for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, chop your vegetables and soak the rice separately.

2. Cook the dal:
   Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a thick-bottomed pan. Drain the soaked dal and add it to the boiling water along with 1 tsp oil and haldi.

3. Add veggies:
   Once the dal is half-cooked, add the diced vegetables. Stir occasionally. When the dal and vegetables are almost done, add salt.

4. Prepare the masala mix:
   In a small pan, heat 1 tsp oil and lightly sauté the diced capsicum and tomato. In a bowl, mix tamarind pulp and Homemade Love Bisi Bele Bath Powder with a little water to make a smooth paste.

5. Combine everything:
   Add the masala paste, sautéed capsicum, tomato, and jaggery to the dal-vegetable mixture. Drain the soaked rice and add it in. Mix gently.

6. Simmer:
   Add about 1 cup water if needed — the rice should cook in the dal and vegetable mixture. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring gently. Cover and switch off the flame. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

7. Prepare the tadka:
   In a small pan, heat oil or ghee. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle. Add hing, red chilies, curry leaves, and cashews. Pour this fragrant tadka over the Bisi Bele Bath. Mix gently, cover, and let it settle for 10 minutes.

8. Serve with love:
   Drizzle with ghee, top with boondi or papad, and serve warm — with or without raita. 💛

⚡ Method 2: The Quick & Easy Way

When you’re short on time but craving that authentic Bisi Bele Bath flavour — this one’s for you!

1. Pressure cook the base:
   In a pressure cooker, add the washed toor dal, diced vegetables, haldi, 1 tsp oil, and 6 cups of water. Cook for 1 whistle.

2. Cook the rice:
   Cook rice separately in a rice cooker or pan.

3. Prepare the masala mix:
   In a pan, sauté diced capsicum and tomato in a little oil. In a bowl, mix tamarind pulp and Homemade Love Bisi Bele Bath Powder with water to form a paste.

4. Combine and cook:
   Add the masala paste, sautéed capsicum-tomato mix, salt, and jaggery to the cooked dal and vegetables. Let it boil for 5 minutes.

5. Add the rice:
   Gently fold in the cooked rice. Add a little boiling water if required to adjust consistency. Simmer for 2 minutes and turn off the flame.

6. Prepare the tadka:
   In a small pan, heat oil or ghee. Add mustard seeds, hing, red chilies, curry leaves, and cashews. Pour over the Bisi Bele Bath, mix gently, and cover for 10 minutes.

7. Serve hot:
   Drizzle ghee, sprinkle boondi, and serve with love (and maybe a side of papad or onion raita!).

❤️ Nagamani Aunty’s Tip

• A spoonful of ghee on top makes all the difference.

• Adjust tamarind and jaggery to your liking — Bisi Bele Bath should be a beautiful balance of tangy, spicy, and slightly sweet.

Want to recreate that perfect South Indian Rasam in your kitchen? Buy Homemade Love Bisi Bele Bath Powder now and bring home the taste of comfort!