Masale Bhat

Name: Masale Bhat
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Maharashtra)
Ingredients: 1.5 cups (300 g) short-grain rice (or aged basmati), washed and soaked 20 min; 3 tbsp ghee (divided); 1 tsp mustard seeds; 8 curry leaves; 2 green chillies, slit; 1 medium onion (100 g), finely sliced; ½ cup (80 g) green peas (fresh or frozen); ½ cup (60 g) capsicum (green), diced 1 cm; ½ cup (70 g) carrots, diced 1 cm; ½ cup (50 g) french beans, 1 cm pieces; ¼ cup (30 g) cashew nuts, halved; ½ tsp turmeric powder; 1.5 tsp goda masala (crucial — not garam masala); 1 tsp red chilli powder; 1 tsp salt (adjust); 2.5 cups (600 ml) hot water; 1 tsp sugar (optional — slight sweetness is authentic); Goda masala is the flavour backbone of this dish — using regular garam masala produces a flat result; Hot water (not cold) reduces the time for the liquid to return to a boil, resulting in more evenly cooked rice; Do not lift the lid during cooking — each opening releases steam needed for even rice cooking

🟢 Veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Medium

A richly flavoured, lightly spiced one-pot rice dish made with the unmistakable aroma of goda masala, ghee, cashews, and a medley of seasonal vegetables. Maharashtrian festive cooking at its most elegant — simple ingredients combined to spectacular effect.

⏱️20 minPrep

🔥20 minCook

🕒40 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Masale Bhat

Fry cashews (Heat: medium): Heat 1 tbsp ghee. Fry cashews on medium heat for 2–3 minutes until golden. Remove and set aside.
Temper and fry onions (Heat: medium): Add remaining 2 tbsp ghee to the pot. Add mustard seeds — crackle 20 seconds. Add curry leaves (crackle 5 seconds) and slit green chillies (10 seconds). Add sliced onion — fry for 8 minutes on medium heat until golden.
Add vegetables (Heat: medium-high): Add diced carrots and beans — fry 2 minutes on medium-high. Add capsicum and peas — fry 1 minute. All vegetables should be coated in ghee and just starting to soften at the edges.
Add masala and rice (Heat: medium): Add turmeric, goda masala, chilli powder and salt — stir 30 seconds to coat vegetables. Add drained soaked rice — stir gently for 2 minutes to toast the rice grains in the ghee and masala.
Rest and serve (Heat: off): Remove lid — steam holes should have appeared and all water should be absorbed. Fluff gently with a fork. Drizzle remaining ghee over the top. Garnish with fresh coconut, coriander, and fried cashews.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 420 kcal | 8 g | 63 g | 15 g | 4 g | Masale bhat is served at virtually every Maharashtrian festive occasion — Ganesh Chaturthi, Gudi Padwa, weddings, and birthdays. It is the ceremonial rice of Maharashtra — the fresh raw coconut garnish on top signals celebration. Prepared in large quantities at community feasts (ganji), served on banana leaf with koshimbir, papad and pickle. ---

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