Bisi Bele Bath Powder is a special and unique spice blend that is added to the preparation of the classic lentil and rice dish from the Karnataka cuisine called Bisi Bele Bath. This homemade Bisi Bele Bath Masala is the best that you can make.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: Not specified
  • Total time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 1 · 1 medium bottle
  • Category: Spice Blend
  • Cuisine: Karnataka, South Indian

Ingredients

  • ½ cup coriander seeds
  • ¼ cup chana dal ((husked and split bengal gram))
  • 1 tablespoon urad dal ((husked and split black gram))
  • 10 to 12 byadagi chillies (or bedgi red chilies - or swap with lesser hot dry red chilies)
  • 5 to 7 guntur red chilies (or swap with hot dry red chilies or medium-hot red chillies)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 3 green cardamoms
  • 1.5 inches cinnamon
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 4 marathi moggu ((kapok buds))
  • 4 tablespoon desiccated coconut (- unsweetened)
  • 2 teaspoon poppy seeds ((khus khus))
  • ½ of a whole mace (or 1 small mace (javitri))
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds ((methi dana))
  • 12 to 14 curry leaves
  • 1 teaspoon asafoetida ((hing) - optional)

Method

  1. Heat a frying pan or a small kadai and first dry roast the coriander, cumin and fenugreek until they are crisp and fragrant. Roast on a low heat and make sure you don't burn the spices. Remove and keep aside in a plate or tray.
  2. In the same pan, now dry roast the cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, cardamom, mace and marathi moggu till become aromatic. Remove and keep aside in the same plate and tray.
  3. Now add chana dal and urad dal. These take a longer to roast than the spices.
  4. Roast them stirring often till you get a nice lentil aroma and the lentils have become browned. Keep aside.
  5. Now dry roast the dry red chilies till they become crisp.
  6. Dry roast the curry leaves till they crisp.
  7. Now roast the poppy seeds till they become light golden.
  8. Roast the desiccated coconut stirring often till the flakes become golden.
  9. Turn off heat and dry roast the asafoetida if you plan to add it in the masala powder.
  10. Now let the roasted spices cool. Mix all the spices very well. Break the red chilies in small pieces. Deseed them if you prefer.
  11. Add the ingredients in batches in a dry grinder or coffee grinder.
  12. Grind to a fine powder. Remove from the jar and store the masala powder in an air-tight jar or container. Keep the jar in the refrigerator.
  13. Use the Bisi Bele Bath Powder as needed.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.