Millet Bisi Bele Bath

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I’ve been living in Bangalore for 10 years and one of the things that this city has given me is my love for Bise Bele Bath. This is a traditional dish prepared here in Karnataka, which, when translated means “hot lentil rice dish”. It’s got that signature creamy thickness that you get when cooking grains and lentils together in the same pot, and tangy, South Indian flavours from the use of tamarind and Bise Bele Bath masala.

Instead of rice though, I’ve used foxtail millets as the grain in the recipe – a change that you can’t taste but that makes this dish so much more nutritious! Along with all the veggies we add here, this Millet Bise Bele Bath is the perfect wholesome fix for the family.

What are foxtail millets?

Foxtail millets (known as Kangni in Hindi) are called miracle grains because of all the health benefits they have! They’re high in protein and fiber, rich in vitamins and minerals and have antioxidant properties. I always feel so good after having a millet-based meal and this is why!

Foxtail millets are a really great source of Vitamin B12 and I prefer to include it into our diet as naturally as possible (so you can expect more millet recipes!). If you’re vegetarian or just generally looking to increase your B12 levels, consider using foxtail millets over rice!

If you’ve never cooked with millets before, don’t worry because it’s not intimidating at all. All you need to do as prep is make sure you soak the millets for at least 2 hours. This not only improves their texture, but it makes cooking them easier and allows your body to better absorb its nutrients too.

If you want to learn more about millets, including the types, how to cook them, ideas to include them in your diet and a lot more, make sure to check out my Millets 101 article.

All about Bise Bele Bath Masala

A good Bise Bele Bath needs a good Bise Bele Bath Masala. You can make it from scratch but I’ve used the storebought kind from MTR for this recipe (which I just amp up with other ingredients of my own!). It’s a greatttt masala to start with if you’re making this for the first time!

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Millet Bise Bele Bath

• Foxtail Millets (also known as Kangni) – soaked for at least 2 hours
• Ghee – Essential for that authentic taste
• Bise Bele Bath Masala – I use MTR but you can make it from scratch
• Tadka – Mustard Seeds, Whole Red Chillies, and some Hing and Curry Leaves to elevate the flavours of the masala
• Veggies – onion, capsicum, carrots, french beans, green brinjals, tomato
• Cooked Tur Dal – for ¾ cup cooked tur dal, use ¼ cup dry tur dal
• Tamarind Water
• Red Chillies 

How to Make Millet Bise Bele Bath

1. Wash the foxtail millet a few times with water (you may need a small sieve to catch any straw beads) and soak it in enough water to cover it for at least 2 hours. Heat ghee in a kadhai and add mustard seeds. Once they start spluttering, add curry leaves, red chillies, and hing. Saute for 10-15 seconds.

2. Add onions and capsicum. Saute and cook this for 2-3 minutes. Then add carrots, beans, turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt. Saute this for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes, brinjal, drained foxtail millet, bisi bele bath powder, and saute again until mixed well.

4. Add water and cooked tur dal. Mix well, cover and cook for 35-40 minutes, till the millet is tender. The bath would have thickened considerably and will have a khichdi or porridge-like consistency.

5. Add tamarind water and mix well. You can also add more curry leaves if you like. Simmer for another 2 minutes.

6. Serve hot, topped with more ghee and khara boondi (savoury boondi).

How to Serve this Millet Bise Bele Bath

I serve this delicious Millet Bise Bele Bath in a traditional Karnataka style, on a banana leaf. I pour a generous amount of ghee on top and add some khara boondi which is a flavoured, spicy boondi that adds a perfect crunch and zing to each bite that we just LOVE. Definitely don’t skip this step!

If you’re looking to introduce millets into your diet, I’d say this is the perfect recipe to start with! It’s easy to make and you can’t tell a difference in both taste or texture — which also means this is a great way to get your lil ones to eat millets too. Try it out and let me know what you think, this might just be the recipe that gets you hooked on foxtail millets as it did for me!

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