The story
Bisi bele bath, Kannada for 'hot lentil rice', is a one-pot dish of rice, toor dal, vegetables, tamarind and ghee from Karnataka in southern India. Tradition says it was created in the royal kitchens of the Mysore Palace in Mysuru, seat of the Wodeyar kings, where the recipe is said to have stayed a guarded secret among palace cooks for around two centuries. Its spice blend can run to some 30 ingredients, including nutmeg, asafoetida and curry leaves. Once out of the palace, it spread through home kitchens and Udupi-style restaurants across Karnataka and beyond, and ready-made masala is now sold everywhere.
Also known as bisibelebath, bisi bele bhath, bisi bele huliyanna, ಬಿಸಿ ಬೇಳೆ ಬಾತ್.
On the Meridish menu
Bisi bele bath was the rice & noodles course on menu No. 14 on October 14, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
'Hot lentil rice': rice, lentils, vegetables and tamarind with a spice blend of up to 30 ingredients. Said to be a recipe kept secret in this city's royal palace kitchens.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
