Method

1. Wash dal and place in a thick bottomed pan with 4 cups of water. Add 1 tsp turmeric powder and 1 tsp ghee. Bring to a boil. Reduce the fire and let the dal simmer gently.
2. Meanwhile wash and cut the vegetables
3. Roast the masala ingredients with little ghee and grind to a coarse paste with some water.
4. Soak tamarind in ½ cup water and extract the juice. (or use 1 Tbsp ready made tamarind paste
5. Wash the rice and drain. Add it to the dal when it is ½ cooked. Add more water if necessary.
6. When rice is ½ cooked add the vegetables.
7. When the vegetables are cooked, add salt and tamarind juice. Simmer without covering for 5 minutes.
8. Add the masala paste. Simmer for 3 more minutes and remove from fire.
9. Heat ghee in a small fry pan and season with mustard, cashew nuts and curry leaves. Add to the rice and cover immedieately.

Note: Add enough water as and when necessary so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan and remains moist even when cooled.

Serves 4