Hot and Sour Rice. (Bisi Bele Huli Anna)
Plain white rice (called Anna in Karnataka) cooked with lentils, spices and tamarind (Huli) juice is a delicious meal by itself.
Ingredients:
1½ cup(s) uncooked rice
1½ cup(s) split red gram (tuvar dal)
6 cups water
2 cup(s) of mixed vegetables chopped (potatoes, brinjals and beans)
1 lemon size ball(s) of tamarind or 2 teaspoon(s) tamarind paste
1 cup(s) hot water to soak the tamarind
1 tablespoon(s) oil
1 teaspoon(s) mustard seeds
6 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
salt to taste
a handful of fried cashewnuts to garnish.
For the spice mix powder:
2 tablespoon(s) split bengal gram(chana dal)
2 tablespoon(s) split black gram(urad dal)
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons grated coconut
6 dry red chillies or to taste
2" cinnamon stick
6 curry leaves
½ teaspoon(s) each of asafoetida and turmeric powder
Preparation:
Roast the nine ingredients of the spice mix in a little oil. Cool and then dry grind. Keep aside.
Soak the tamarind ball in the hot water and extract the juice. Keep aside.
Boil the water in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the split red gram (tuvar dal) to it and cook till it is half-done. Now, add the rice, the spice mix powder, tamarind juice / tamarind paste, chopped mixed vegetables and salt. Keep on low heat for about 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a pan on medium / low heat for about 2 minute(s). Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Pour this over the rice mixture. Add the ghee (clarified butter) to this mixture. Allow to simmer on a low flame stirring continuously for 15 minutes till the rice is fully cooked and all the ghee (clarified butter) is used up. Garnish with fried cashewnuts just before serving.
