11-1/4 cups water, divided
2 cups basmati rice
1 cup yellow split peas (toor dal)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 red chili or serrano peppers, minced
5 small hot or jalapeƱo peppers, minced
1 small or 1/2-inch piece cinnamon
5 whole cloves
1 tablespoon bengal gram (black chickpeas)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon urad dal (black lentil)
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
2 sprigs curry leaf, minced one sprig, divided
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
1/4 teaspoon turmeric, divided
1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste
salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
2 carrots, diced
2 onions, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup fresh green peas
1/2 cup peanuts (cashews for non dietary version)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for garnish
1 small lemon, juice of
1. In a pot, combine 6 cups water, basmati rice, and dal; bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until rice and dal are soft.
2. Seasoning: In a pan, combine olive oil, chili pepper, hot pepper, cinnamon, cloves, bengal gram, coriander seeds, urad dal, and fenugreek; fry over medium heat until the ingredients turn golden brown. Add whole curry leaf, asafoetida, and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric. Place ingredients in a grinder or blender; grind to a coarse powder. Add 1/4 cup water and stir into a paste, set aside.
3. In a pot, combine 5 cups water, tamarind paste, and salt; heat over high heat for 10 minutes, or until it boils. Add mustard, minced curry leaves, carrots, onions, tomatoes, and peas; bring to a boil and cook until vegetables are al dente.
4. Add seasoning paste, cooked rice-dal mixture, and peanuts; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. (NOTE: Make this mixture a little bit watery to allow the rice/veggie mix to boil well while avoiding burning the bottom of the pot). Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
5. Remove cinnamon stick and garnish with cilantro.
Source of recipe: I have cooked for over 40 years and the last few years I have been experimenting with recipes constantly to make them more effective for people with dietery concerns/restrictions (whether it be losing weight or health reasons) at the same time not compromise the taste of the dish itself. This is my version of an Indian recipe (specifically from Udupi, Karnataka) that is customized to fit this category