Bisi bele bhath Masala Powder

I have always been a big fan of bisi bele bhath. It is a very comforting dish to me ad whenever I eat this dish I am taken back to days when my friends and I were in training at a government company in Bangalore and this was served in the company mess. I wouldn't say that is the most tastiest bisi bele bhath that I have ever had, but it certainly is the most memorable. I initially started making this dish with a store bought masala, and I figured making it from scratch myself is no biggie at all. And, I can make it in double batches and store it in the freezer, for whenever I wanna make this comfort food. It is a very versatile masala, that if you wanna make a different tasting sambar, try adding this, or even in poriyals/stir fries etc.

Heat a pan over medium heat. Add in the red chilly, roast it. Remove. Add the dals and spices next and roast until fragrant and golden. Finally add the coconut, stir and switch off the stove. The residual heat from the pan is enough to toast the coconut. Take care not to burn the spices, this is not something that you leave on the stove and turn around to do something else.

Let this mixture cool completely, and grind it to a powder. It doesn't have to be super fine, a slightly coarse powder is also fine. Use to make bisi bele bhath(recipe coming soon) and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Verdict: I used this to make bisibelebhath and the fresh ground masala powder is so much more than the store bought kind. Made for a very aromatic, rich dish.

Sending this to B2B - Spice powders and also to Srivalli's Condiment Mela