Bisi Bele Bhath ~ A complete meal

Bisi Bele Bhath, is a very common dish that features in the menu of almost every local hotel in Bangalore. This is not very common in Mangalore or at my house. I am not very fond of this but my hubby loves this dish to the core. I got introduced to this at my relatives function in Mysore. It is usually served with some munchies like Potato chips or mixtures. This features in my menu these days as hubby dear is very fond of it. I too have come to a stage where I can manage to have it for dinner but only if accompanied with munchies. Please don't go by my dislike for this dish as there are a lot of fellow bloggers who adore this dish.  I dont make the spice powder at home, I use store brought MTR which many people seem to be quite happy with. But I am really looking forward to making my own spice powders at home. But for now this recipe:

Here is what's needed:
3/4 cup sona masuri rice
1/2 cup toor dal
1 cup chopped veggies like beans, carrot, potatoes, green peas
3 tbsp Bisi bele bhath powder
1/2 tsp tamarind extract
1 tbsp Ghee
salt to taste
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 springs of curry leaves
1 generous pinch of asafoetida/hing
8-10 cashews
1 dried red chilli broken

Procedure:
1) Pressure cook dal with vegetables and rice seperately.
2) In a bowl mix the bisi bele bhath powder with tamarind extract. Add little water to make it a paste.
3) In a kadahi, heat ghee and roast the cashews. Keep aside.
4) In the remaining ghee add mustard when they splutter add hing, curry leaves and red chillies.
5) Add in the prepared paste and mix it well.
6) Mix in the dal with veggies followed by rice and salt. Mix well. Adjust the consistency of the dish by pouring water if needed. The consistency of the final dish should be somewhat like thick soup and the rice and veggies should be mushy. Give it a rolling boil and check for seasoning. Add anything if required.

7) Drizzle some home made ghee and garnish with roasted cashews. Serve along with some munchies.