Serves:4 Cooking time (approx): 27 minutes Style: South Indian Vegetarian (Karnataka) 1½ cup(s) uncooked rice 1½ cup(s) split red gram (tuvar dal) 6 cups water 2 cup(s) of mixed vegetables chopped (potatoes, brinjals and beans) 1 lemon size ball(s) of tamarind or 2 teaspoon(s) tamarind paste 1 cup(s) hot water to soak the tamarind 1 tablespoon(s) oil 1 teaspoon(s) mustard seeds 6 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) salt to taste a handful of fried cashewnuts to garnish. | For the spice mix powder: 2 tablespoon(s) split bengal gram(chana dal) 2 tablespoon(s) split black gram(urad dal) 3 tablespoons coriander seeds 3 tablespoons grated coconut 6 dry red chillies or to taste 2" cinnamon stick 6 curry leaves ½ teaspoon(s) each of asafoetida and turmeric powder | - Roast the nine ingredients of the spice mix in a little oil. Cool and then dry grind. Keep aside. Soak the tamarind ball in the hot water and extract the juice. Keep aside. Boil the water in a heavy-bottomed pan, add the split red gram (tuvar dal) to it and cook till it is half-done. Now, add the rice, the spice mix powder, tamarind juice / tamarind paste, chopped mixed vegetables and salt. Keep on low heat for about 10 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a pan on medium / low heat for about 2 minute(s). Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Pour this over the rice mixture.
- Add the ghee (clarified butter) to this mixture. Allow to simmer on a low flame stirring continuously for 15 minutes till the rice is fully cooked and all the ghee (clarified butter) is used up.
Garnish with fried cashewnuts just before serving. Suggestion:The spice mix powder can be made days in advance and stored in an air-tight bottle. Serve hot with:salted potato chips or fried poppadoms |