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    Home » Rice

    Instant Pot Bisi Bele Bhath

    Published: Feb 23, 2017 · Modified: May 2, 2021 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 42 Comments

    637 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Bisi Bele Bhath is a spicy and flavor-packed rice dish cooked with lentils, rice, vegetables, and aromatic spices! I love South Indian food and the flavors of the fresh spices and ground lentils used in various dishes are simply divine. Bisi Bele Bhath to me is the ultimate comfort food when it comes to simple home-cooked South Indian food.

    Bisi bele bhath served in a black bowl

    What is Bisi Bele Bath?

    Bisi Bele Bhath, a South Indian rice-based dish means 'hot lentil rice'. I must put this disclaimer up-front that I am no expert in south Indian cooking and I am sure there are many different ways to cook this wholesome dish.

    Bisi Bele Bhath or sambhar rice was introduced to me by my friend, Indu a few years back. While my kitchen was under major renovation in the midst of cold winter months, Indu would deliver us fresh homemade food. One of her mouth-watering dishes is this Bisi Bele Bhath that soon became a favorite in my house.

    Once my kitchen was all ready, I couldn't wait to get the recipe from Indu and make it myself. Her suggestion that I always follow is to use hardy vegetables like potatoes, pumpkin, cauliflower, beans, etc, and not leafy vegetables.

    What are drumsticks?

    These are not chicken drumsticks. These are hardy beans from Moringa tree, sold as fresh or frozen in Indian grocery stores. They are optional and can be skipped as there is no good substitute.

    vegetables for Bisi bele bhath

    Bisi Bele Bhath Powder

    The spice blend used in this recipe is made by roasting and grinding dried red chilies, coriander seeds, lentils(chana daal), fenugreek seeds, and shredded coconut. This spice blend powder can be made ahead of time or a store-bought Bisi Bele Bhath spice blend powder would also work. The store-bought one tends to be much spicy so add it to taste.

    Bisi bele bhath spices

    I rinse rice and lentils while I get the spice blend and the vegetables ready. This allows the lentils to soak in the water for a little and cook faster. Traditionally cooked in a stovetop pressure cooker this recipe is easy to adapt to Instant Pot.

    Variations and Substitutes

    • You can add veggies like pearl onions, pumpkin, and squash
    • Substitute lemon juice for tamarind paste
    • Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of chili powder instead of whole chili peppers in the spice blend
    • Add an extra 1 to 2 cups of water for a more stew-like consistency
    • Substitute white rice with quinoa, same pressure cooking time
    • To substitute white rice with brown rice simply increase pressure cook time to 22 minutes

    As with most instant pot recipes, I always make sure that I have all the ingredients ready even before I turn the Instant Pot on. Here is a video on the one-pot version of this south Indian dish that we love - Bisi Bele Bhath in Instant Pot:

    Although I make this dish in ghee, I love to drizzle another spoonful of ghee on top with a blob of tangy pickle and roasted papad to scoop it with!

    bisibelebhath in instant pot

    ★ Have you tried this recipe? We love your feedback, Please click on the stars in the recipe card below to rate.

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    bisi bele bhath in instant pot
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    4.29 from 32 votes

    Bisi bele bhath in instant pot

    Bisi Bele Bhath is a spicy and flavor packed rice dish that is cooked with lentils, rice, lots of vegetables and aromatic spices
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time40 mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Indian
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 313kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup rice
    • ¾ cup toor daal yellow pigeon peas
    • 1 cup cauliflower florets cut into 1 inch florets
    • 1 red potato cubed ½ inch
    • 10 pieces drumsticks optional
    • ½ cup green beans cut into 1 inch pieces
    • 2 carrots peeled and sliced
    • ½ green pepper cut into ½ inch pieces
    • 10 curry leaves optional
    • ¼ cup cilantro chopped for garnish
    • 1 tablespoon tamarind paste optional, more or less depending on how tangy it is
    • 2 tablespoons ghee coconut oil or any cooking oil for Vegan
    • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
    • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • salt to taste

    Spice Blend

    • 4 dried red chilies I use mild Kashmiri chilies
    • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
    • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
    • 1 tablespoon chana dal
    • 1 tablespoon shredded coconut dried or fresh

    Instructions

    • Rinse rice and lentils and keep aside. Wash and chop all the vegetables.
    • Lightly roast all the spices from the spice blend. Let them cool completely and then grind to fine powder.
    • Turn the Instant Pot to sauté (more) mode and heat ghee. Add mustard seeds, asafetida and turmeric. Let the mustard seeds pot, may take 2 to 3 minutes. Add all the vegetables except the cilantro. Mix well.
    • Add salt, tamarind paste and spice blend powder. Mix well. Add rice and lentils and 6 cups of water. Close the Instant Pot lid with the pressure value set to sealing. Press the Rice button.
    • Allow the pressure to release naturally, about 15 mins. Open the Instant pot and stir the Bisi Bele Bhath lightly. Serve hot with a drizzle of ghee, tangy pickle and roasted papad.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 36mg | Potassium: 695mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3840IU | Vitamin C: 92.2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 3.2mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

    ♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥

    Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.

    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    1. Indu says

      February 23, 2017 at 6:15 pm

      Looks wonderful with all the colorful vegetables and the flavors!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 23, 2017 at 9:50 pm

        Thank you Indu. Yes, so much nutrition and taste packed in all those colors.

        Reply
    2. Indu says

      February 23, 2017 at 8:54 pm

      Ooh la la!! Yumminess made easier ... thank you! Now, if we could just figure out a way to eat straight from these gorgeous pictures 😉

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 23, 2017 at 9:51 pm

        Thank you Indu! Our family loves this recipe from you.

        Reply
    3. annika says

      February 26, 2017 at 1:19 pm

      The video is awesome!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 26, 2017 at 5:42 pm

        Thank you annika!

        Reply
    4. phashionbug says

      March 01, 2017 at 11:45 am

      I am so happy to land on your delicious blog, thanks for posting such amazing recipes. Living abroad makes me crave Indian food so much. Although I love to cook, I end up cooking same dishes all the time. I am sure your blog will help me diversify my taste palate with all these awesome dishes.
      Xx
      Saabri
      http://www.phashionbug.com

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 01, 2017 at 12:03 pm

        Thank you Saabri for your kind words. I hope you find some simple and healthy recipes on my blog.

        Reply
    5. Antonia says

      March 02, 2017 at 3:20 pm

      Beautiful dish, it looks amazing!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 02, 2017 at 4:52 pm

        Thank you Antonia! Its a healthy one pot dish.

        Reply
    6. Sandhya says

      March 03, 2017 at 10:29 pm

      Archana, I love bisi bele bhat and saying it over and over again too. Love the color of your masala! Yum!
      btw, I got my IP and am trying all sorts of recipes in it too. Love it!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 03, 2017 at 11:41 pm

        Thank you Sandhya! Congrats on your Instapot! I am sure you must be enjoying the new cooking experience. Can't wait to see some recipes from you!!

        Reply
    7. Diane says

      April 15, 2017 at 8:14 pm

      I have to make this right now! What are drumsticks?
      I don't have curry leaves but I have curry leaf powder. How much should I use?
      I have no tamarind paste. Can I sub something?
      I have no chili peppers. Can I use chili powder? How much? I have everything else.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 15, 2017 at 8:34 pm

        Drumsticks are hardy beans they sell I Indian groceries, totally optional. 1/2 tsp of curry leaf powder or skip it. You can add a tsp of lemon juice instead of tamarind paste. And yes chili powder is good. Add 1 tsp first if you like spicy then add more. I think you will love it! Let me know!

        Reply
        • Pooja says

          March 03, 2021 at 7:15 am

          I have bisibele bath powder. Can I use that instead? How much would you recommend?

          Reply
          • Archana says

            March 03, 2021 at 9:43 pm

            yes! Depends on how spicy it is. start with 1 to 2 tablespoons

            Reply
    8. Kalbap says

      April 30, 2017 at 9:58 pm

      Quick and easy one pot comfort food!
      Archana just one issue I have is that your recipe says it serves 6 but actually I made it on 2 occasions already and both the times I could easily say it serves at least 12 comfortably as an entree dish. 1 cup rice +3/4th cup toor dal + 6 cups water + lots of cut up veggies does make for a lot more than 6 serves.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        April 30, 2017 at 10:10 pm

        Thank you Kalyani! We possibly overeat this comfort rice dish! With 3 boys in the house, our serving sizes possibly are way too big (yikes) but yes, it can feed a lot more. Thanks for your feedback as always! I am so happy that you are enjoying new way of cooking in the Instant Pot.

        Reply
    9. Sofia Akhter says

      September 17, 2017 at 12:09 pm

      Would be my first dish to try once I get the Insta pot!!!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 17, 2017 at 6:12 pm

        Hi Sofia! I wish you good luck in my giveaway!!

        Reply
        • Victor tirumalai says

          December 05, 2017 at 12:03 pm

          Is this recipe for a 6 QT/8 QT IP? I have a 3 QT IP and was wondering if this would fit that? Thanks.

          Reply
          • Archana says

            December 05, 2017 at 12:07 pm

            Hi Victor, I made this recipe in my 6-qt Instant pot. From what I hear you can easily make 3 cups of rice in the 3-qt. But between the rice, lentils, vegetables and 6 cups of water I think it might be too much for the 3-qt. You can def reduce all the ingredients in half and same pressure cook time if you would like to try this. Let me know!

            Reply
    10. Nilu says

      December 17, 2017 at 12:06 am

      Thank you for the recipe! It's such a blessing to have bisi bele bhaath done in a jiffy.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 17, 2017 at 12:07 am

        You are welcome Nilu! So happy you enjoyed the recipe.

        Reply
    11. Sarah says

      February 01, 2018 at 9:39 am

      What adjustments would be needed if using brown basmati rice? This recipe looks fabulous!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 01, 2018 at 11:31 am

        Sarah, 22 minutes on high pressure with natural pressure release works well for brown basmati rice.

        Reply
    12. Radha says

      February 01, 2018 at 7:26 pm

      This looks great!

      2 questions :

      The typical bisibele bath is a lot more mushy with a porridge like consistency! Is it a personal preference to make this a little on drier end?
      Also, to cook lentils I never use Low pressure mode. How did u manage to get it cooked in this mode?

      Thank u in advance

      Reply
      • Archana says

        February 01, 2018 at 11:33 pm

        With Low pressure mode, it takes longer for the Instant Pot to come to pressure which allow the daal to soak a bit and so it works well. As far as the texture, yes you can add extra 2 cups of water for a very mushy consistency.

        Reply
    13. Erica says

      May 09, 2019 at 11:09 am

      What if I wanted to use brown/green lentils because it is what I have? I know they take longer to cook. Could they be used? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        May 09, 2019 at 7:58 pm

        Brown/green lentils will work well too! Same cook time.

        Reply
    14. Lakshmi says

      October 26, 2019 at 2:44 am

      I love your blog and follow it very diligently!! Mine was much more mushier than I anticipated. It I tasted great, but more like sambhar rice vs bissibela s any tips to improve?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 29, 2019 at 12:33 pm

        You are right, it is more like a sambar rice. I am actually going to be making it again with my friends mother in law and will be adding all her tips and tricks soon.

        Reply
    15. Prabha Shenoi says

      March 28, 2020 at 3:44 pm

      Loved cooking this receipe in the instant pot. Quick and flavorful. Bisi Bele is my family favorite.5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        March 28, 2020 at 5:02 pm

        Thank you! Thank you!!

        Reply
    16. Rachelle Peyton says

      June 06, 2020 at 6:14 pm

      Archana,
      I have made several of your recipes now and my family loves them! Thank you for teaching us how to cook such delicious food! I want to try your Bisi Bele Bahath recipe soon. I was wondering if I bought the Bisi Bele Bhath powder as a substitute how much should I use? Thank you so much!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        June 07, 2020 at 6:58 pm

        Depending on the brand they can be very spicy. I would start with 1 tablespoon and add more to taste

        Reply
    17. Satish & Amanda says

      June 07, 2020 at 8:42 pm

      My wife stumbled on your blog. She loves everything you have here, This is our third dish we we tried. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Masala dosa, Mango lassi are the other two5 stars

      Reply
    18. Bhavya says

      October 05, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      You haven’t mentioned how much water to use

      Reply
      • Archana says

        October 07, 2020 at 10:20 pm

        6 cups of water. It is in the instructions

        Reply
    19. Pallavi Shirke says

      May 12, 2021 at 8:08 pm

      Such a good recipe made it for the first time and came out perfect

      Reply
    20. Akansha says

      December 05, 2021 at 2:11 pm

      Just tried the bisibelebath in Insta pot.
      Turned out super good.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        December 06, 2021 at 10:00 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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