Quinoa Bisi bele bath is a healthy, delicious one pot meal made with quinoa, lentils and mixed in instant pot pressure cooker.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa (rinsed)
  • 1/2 cup toor dal/split pigeon peas
  • 2 tablespoons oil ((or ghee))
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 stalk curry leaves
  • a pinch hing (asafetida)
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ((optional))
  • 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
  • 2.5 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, beans, peas, and bell pepper)
  • 2 tablespoons tamarind extract ((extracted by soaking lemon sized tamarind))
  • 2-3 tablespoons bisibelebath powder ((I used MTR brand))
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder(haldi)
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon jaggery (optional)
  • salt (to taste)
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves (cilantro)

Additional Tempering: (Optional)

  • 1 tablespoon ghee (or oil)
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • few cashew-nuts
  • 2-3 red dry chilles
  • few curry leaves
  • a pinch hing (asafetida)

Method

Instant Pot Method:

  1. Firstly, chop all the vegetables and onion. Keep aside.
  2. Meanwhile, soak the tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes. Extract pulp and keep aside.
  3. Press SAUTE on Instant Pot. Add ghee or oil and once it's hot, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, and let it splutter.
  4. Next, add onions, ginger and garlic paste. Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown – stir regularly.
  5. Add mix vegetables and cook for a minute.
  6. Furthermore, add Bisi bele bath powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, tamarind extract, jaggery, salt. Mix well and keep stirring; else, the mixture may get burnt.
  7. Next, add washed toor dal (lentils), quinoa, water, and give a stir.
  8. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Once the pot beeps, Do a NATURAL PRESSURE RELEASE (NPR).
  9. After that, remove the lid and garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well. I like my quinoa Bisi bele bath to be mushy and liquid consistency.
  10. So, Turn on the SAUTE mode again, add 1 cup of water (depending on your preference). Boil for 2-3 minutes. Quinoa Bisibelebath is ready. Add extra tempering (tadka) again, and it's completely optional.
  11. Lastly, Serve instant pot pressure cooker quinoa bisi bele bath/bisibelebath recipe hot with Kara bhoondi, pickle, raita, or papad.

Indian Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

  1. Chop all the vegetables and onion. Keep aside. Meanwhile, soak tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes. Extract pulp and keep aside.
  2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker pan, once hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafetida & let it splutter.
  3. Add onions, ginger-garlic paste, Saute for 2-3 minutes until they turn soft and light brown in color – stir regularly. Add mix vegetables and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
  4. Then add washed toor dal (lentils), quinoa, water, salt, and give a stir. Close the lid.
  5. Pressure cook for 3 whistles on medium-low flame. Once pressure has naturally released, add bisi bele bath powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, tamarind extract, jaggery, and adjust the consistency by adding extra water and boil for 5 minutes.
  6. For Tempering: Add ghee in a tadka pan add mustard seeds curry leaves, hing, red chilies let it splutter. Add peanuts or cashews fry until browned. Add the tadka to quinoa Bisi bele bath and mix well.
  7. Serve hot with Kara bhoondi, pickle, raita, or papad.

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.