Ingredients:

• Rice – 1/2 cup (washed and soaked in water for half an hour)
• Toor Dal – 3/4 cup
• Medium potatoes, peeled and cut into big chunks – 2
• Carrot, cut into big pieces – 1
• Beans, cut into long pieces – 100 g
• Capsicum, cut into big pieces (optional) – 1
• Salt, according to taste
• water to cook dal and Rice
• For Seasoning:
• Oil – 3 tbsp
• Mustard – 2 tsp
• Gram dal – one tsp
• Urad Dal – one tsp
• For Paste:
• Coconut – 1/2
• Coriander seed – 1.5 tbsp
• Gram dal – 1.25 tbsp
• Urad Dal – 1 tbsp
• Jeera (cumin seed) – 1 tsp
• Red Chillies – 10 – 12
• Pepper – 4 to 5 Corns
• Cinnamon – 1 inch
• Clove – 1
• Fenugreek and mustard – a few
• Asafoetida – a pinch
• Tamarind – small
• 1 – medium Onion
• 1 – medium Tomato
• Jaggery – a small piece

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker, add the dal and enough water. Cook till half done. One whistle will be enough.
2. Roast all the dry ingredients listed for the paste, mix with the remaining ingredients and grind till smooth.
3. Once the dal is done, in a heavy-based cooker or pan, take oil.
4. Once the oil is heated, add mustard and allow it to splutter.
5. Add the gram and urad dals and fry till golden brown.
6. Now, add the ground paste and stir for a minute or two.
7. To this, add the cut vegetables and fry for a few minutes.
8. Add the half-cooked toor dal ( including water) and the soaked and drained rice.
9. Add enough water to cook the rice well. The result should semi solid.
10. Add the salt and set the cooker. 1 or 2 whistles will be enough.
11. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee (optional), with potato chips and any raitha.

Recipe courtesy of Prathibha Rama Priya