Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup – dal
• 1 cup – Rice
• 3 medium-sized – Onions (finely sliced)
• 100 g – French beans (cut into small cubes)
• 2 medium-sized – Carrots (cut into small cubes)
• 3 medium-sized – Potatoes (cut into small cubes)
• 3 medium-sized – Tomatoes (finely chopped)
• 2 to 3 tbsp – Ghee
• 1 – Bay Leaf
• 2 sticks – Cinnamon
• 3 – Cloves
• 4 – Black Peppercorns
• 2 – green Cardamoms
• 1 tsp – Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp – Asafoetida powder
• 1 tsp – Green chilli paste
• 1 tsp – ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 100g – Green peas (shelled)
• 1 tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp – Garam Masala powder
• 5 cups – water
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak the dal and rice separately for 30 minutes.
2. Lightly heat the ghee in a pressure pan.
3. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and cardamoms.
4. Add the cumin seeds.
5. When they splutter, add asafoetida powder.
6. Saute for a few seconds.
7. Add the sliced onions, green chilli and ginger-garlic paste to it.
8. Fry the onions on a medium flame till it is pink in colour.
9. Add turmeric powder and chopped vegetables to it.
10. Fry it for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Add the soaked dal, rice and tomatoes and mix it well.
12. Add salt, red chilli powder and garam masala powder to it.
13. Add water and mix it well.
14. Cook on a medium flame for three whistles.
15. Serve hot with papad, pickle and onion-tomato kachumbar.

Recipe courtesy of Anita Raheja