Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice
• 1cup Toor Dal (washed)
• 1/4cup moong dal – without the skin (washed)
• 3 cup vegetables (all or combination of beans, carrots, peas, eggplant, cauliflower, potatoes)
• 2 tbsp bottled Tamarind sauce or juice of fresh Tamarind
• 1 tsp Ginger powder
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp Turmeric (more depending on your desired colour)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 3 sticks 1″ Cinnamon sticks
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 3 red dried chillies (substitute with fresh Green chillies if needed)
• 1/4 cup regular or green Onion
• Oil to saute vegetables
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Chop vegetables into 1″ pieces so that they won’t get mashed.
2. On medium heat, in a medium sized pot fill with water covering 3/4 the volume of the pot.
3. Put in both dal, tamarind, turmeric, salt and cook for 15 mins.
4. Then add rice and let cook until both dal and rice look 98% done.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate pan on medium heat place some oil.
6. In heated oil, place the chillies, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and let splutter for about 10 seconds (make sure it doesn’t burn).
7. Add onions and let it brown lightly.
8. Add vegetables and chilli powder and saute until half done (about 10 mins).
9. Transfer the veggies into the 98% done dal and rice mixture and let cook for 5 mins.
10. Turn off flame.
11. Add ginger powder and all-spice and cover for 5 mins.
12. Remove lid and let settle for a bit before serving.

Recipe courtesy of Ranjeeta Singh