Ingredients

• 2 cups boiled (cooked) and cooled rice

• 1/4 cup oil, like sunflower

• 1 tsp. black mustard seeds or rai

• 2 heaped tbs. shelled peanuts, with skin intact

• 1 tsp. chana or Bengal gram dal, skinless

• 10-12 curry leaves or kadhi patta (not bay leaves). Curry leaves are available from Indian grocers.

• 1 onion, approximately 100 gm., peeled and chopped

• 1/2-3/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

• Salt to taste, approximately 1 level tsp.

• 1 green chilli, finely chopped

• 1/4 fresh coconut, grated. Fresh is best but if you do not have it, use desiccated coconut, as a last resort.

• Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime, 1 tbs.

• 1-2 tbs. chopped coriander leaves

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a wok or kadhai.

2. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add peanuts and fry until browned.

3. Add chana dal and curry leaves. Stir fry until dal is brown. This takes only a minute.

4. Add onions and fry until nicely pink-brown.

5. Add turmeric, salt, green chilli and coconut. Give a quick stir and then add rice. Mix well quickly and turn heat off.

6. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve warm.

Notes

• You can also substitute boiled rice with poha (flattened rice); wash and soak in water for a minute or two (longer if it is thick variety of flattened rice) and drain in a colander. Leave to swell up for 10-15 minutes. Than use as boiled rice. It doesn't take long to cook, just needs to be heated through.