MTR Bisi Bele Bath

Mavalli Tiffin Rooms (MTR) | (Best & Original) Traditional Bisi Bele Bath and Rava Idli !

MTR hotel, also known as “Mavalli Tiffin Rooms” is a famous and authentic Veg Restaurant in Bengaluru, India.

Today I will share my experience of the MOUTHWATERING TASTE of Bisi Bele Bath and Rava Idli!

Bisi bele bath Vs Sambar Sadam – Are they same or different? Read on to find the answer!

In short, if you want to taste authentic and original bisi bele bath, you must visit Mavalli Tiffin Room in Bengaluru.

Lets get started.


What is Mavalli Tiffin Room?

Mavalli Tiffin Room, most commonly known as “MTR” is a veg based restaurant in the Indian City of Bengaluru, located on the Lal Bagh road.

It is one of those authentic and traditional South Indian restaurants, where you find veg dishes like bisi bele bath, masala dosa, rava idli, chandrahara, kharabhath, kesaribhath, pure filter coffee, etc.

MTR Mavalli Tiffin Rooms

MTR in Lalbagh is a paradise for Veg food lovers.


Mavalli Tiffin Room (MTR) Location Address

Mavalli Tiffin Room
#14,
Lalbagh Road,
Bengaluru – 560027



My husband loves “Sambar Sadam” (Sambar Rice) – a Tamil Nadu dish. My husband believed that both the bisi bele bath and sambar sadam were one and the same (a common misconception). Because they both look almost the same.

But the ingredients and process of cooking differentiate them.

So we set out to the one and only MTR(Mavalli Tiffin Room) in Lalbagh road to clarify his doubt (I too wanted to taste it badly, because I have already tasted it!)

Bangalore Lalbagh


MTR is located at the busy road of Lalbagh with so much vehicles parked in the front.

MTR Lalbagh

We went to the first floor because the ground floor was crowded.

MTR Family Hall


The first thing we ordered was “Bisi Bele Bath”.


New to Indian Cooking?

If you are a beginner or someone who is not sure on how to get started in Indian Cooking, please click on the below links for STEP By STEP GUIDE.

1. Essential Indian Cooking Tools – A Complete Guide for setting up basic Indian Equipment for cooking.
2. Essential Indian Spices – A Comprehensive Guide explaining the basics of Indian Spices which are Important for cooking Indian Foods.
3. How to Cook Rice Perfectly – Learn to Cook Indian Rice using 2 methods – Pot and Pressure Cooker


What is Bisi Bele Bath?

Bisibele Bath is a spiced lentil, rice and vegetable based dish. It is a popular dish in Karnataka.

The name “Bisibele Bath” literally translates to “Hot Lentil Rice Dish” in Kannada language.

This is usually eaten for breakfast or lunch along with some crunchy snacks like potato chips, mixture, kara boondi etc.

The spices used to prepare bisibele bath are freshly dry roasted and ground which makes the dish more automatic and delicious.

Adding tamarind juice and ghee at the end gives this dish a tangy and flavourful taste respectively.

This dish is cooked slightly mushy which gives a very great texture, and tastes absolutely delicious due to the spices being incorporated well with the dal and rice.

MTR Bisibelebath


Sambar Sadam Vs Bisi Bele Bath – How Bisi Bele Bath is Different from Sambar Sadam?

Both Bisibele bath and Sambar Sadam are almost similar in taste but they slightly differ in the cooking process and a few ingredients.

Bisibele bath needs to be prepared with rice, dal(lentil), vegetables, freshly ground spices all put together in a pressure cooker and cooked until the perfect consistency is reached. Bisibele Bath is always cooked in a single pot altogether.

Whereas, Sambar Sadam can be cooked in 2 ways – either with freshly ground spices or homemade/store-bought sambar powder along with dal and vegetables in pressure cooker. Or it can also be cooked separately in pressure cooker and mixed together at the end.

Sambar sadam is mostly cooked using shallots (small onions) whereas Bisi bele bath is cooked using usual onions.



So my husband knew the difference between sambar sadam and bisi bele bath once he tasted it! We both ordered a plate and devoured them completely.

The taste of bisibelebath was simply awesome. (On top of that, it is very healthy because of the vegetables with which it is cooked.)


MTR Bisi Bele Bath

MTR bisi bele bath also had 2 more items served along with it:

  • Ghee in a tiny vessel
  • Raitha
Bisibelebath MTR


When you pour the ghee on top of the hot lentil rice, scoop it with a spoon and place it in your mouth, you will realize the taste that I am talking here.

Bisibelebath ghee

The aroma and taste of this lentil rice topped with the ghee and then with some raitha – will BLOW YOU AWAY!

A very simple and tasty dish – full of healthy ingredients!!!

Bisibelebath Cashew Nut

It is a daily norm for people to come here and have bisi bele bath for breakfast\lunch.

This Karnataka special dish will make you fall in love with the South Indian cuisine!

Bangalore Best Bisibelebath


Follow this Bisi Bele Bath recipe from Hebbars Kitchen, if you would like to cook from your home.


MTR Rava Idli

Rava idly, also known as Sooji Idli or Semolina Idly, is a simple and healthy recipe. It has a very coarse texture due to the rava.

It is prepared using

  • Rava or Sooji or semolina,
  • mustard,
  • ginger,
  • curry leaves,
  • coriander leaves,
  • asafetida,
  • cashews and
  • curd.

This is the most preferred breakfast recipe in Karnataka.

The best part about this recipe is, it doesn’t require any fermentation. You can directly prepare the batter and just leave it covered for about 10 minutes and then start preparing idlis.

Rava Idli Mavalli Tiffin Room


It is essential for any type of idli to be soft, to enjoy its taste. MTR Rava Idli never disappoints you! It is as soft as a sponge.

As in many other Indian dishes, Idli requires side dish like Sambar or Chutney to enjoy it.

In MTR, along with Rava Idli, Karnataka style Sambar and mint chutney were provided.

MTR Rava Idli


A small tiny container with ghee was also placed alongside the rava idli.

Rava Idli Ghee MTR


As with Bisi bele bath, I poured the ghee over the Rava idli, took a small piece, dipped it into the sambar and mint chutney and enjoyed its taste!

Rava Idly  MTR


Since Idli is a steamed one and oil-free, it is very healthy. And If you are very health conscious, you can avoid ghee and enjoy the dish!

Finely chopped/grated carrots, green peas and chopped nuts (cashews and badam) can also be added along with the rava idli batter (before cooking idli), to make it healthier.

Mavalli Tiffin Room Rava Idly


So next time when you are in Bengaluru, please do visit Mavalli Tiffin Room and enjoy the dish it has to offer, especially the Bisi Bele bath and Rava Idli!


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