Ingredients

• 400 gm. or 2 cups basmati or other good quality rice

• For Masala

• 1 heaped tbs. skinless urad dal*

• 1 heaped tbs. skinless chana dal*

• 1 tsp. fenugreek or methi seeds*

• 2-3 dry red chillies*

• 1 tbs. brown sesame seeds*

• For Cooking

• 2-3 tbs. oil

• 1 tsp mustard or rai seeds

• A pinch of asafoetida or hing powder

• 5-6 black pepper corns

• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

• 10-12 curry leaves (about 1 sprig)

• 1-2 green chillies, slit lengthways

• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

• 2-3 tbs. tamarind pulp** made from about a golf ball size portion of ripe tamarind block

• 1 1/2 tsp. salt (adjust to taste)

• One small block (1 inch) jagary (gur) or 1 tbs. brown/muscovado sugar

• 200 ml. water

• Garnish

• 150 gm. peanuts with skin

• 75 gm. cashew nuts

• 50 gm. coconut shavings

Instructions

1. Boil rice in water with salt, until just done. Spread it out on a tray to cool or put it in a colander and stand under cold tap. This will stop further cooking of the rice.

2. *Dry roast, in a ladle or wok, urad dal, chana dal, methi seeds, sesame seeds and red chillies separately (they have different cooking speed) and grind together to a coarse powder. Keep aside.

3. ** To make tamarind pulp, soak tamarind in a 1/1/2 cup of warm water for a couple of hours or microwave on full power for 1 minute. Cool, mash and strain. Discard husk and seeds. Keep pulp aside.

4. Dry fry peanuts and cashew nuts in wok. Or microwave for 2+2+2 minutes on full power, stirring in between to avoid one particular area getting burnt. Keep aside

5. Dry roast or microwave coconut shavings until aroma of coconut oil rises and they become very light beige in colour.

6. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, asafoetida and peppercorns. When mustard seeds splutter, add ginger, curry leaves, green chillies and turmeric powder. Stir for a few seconds and add tamarind pulp, powdered masala from step 2*, salt to taste, jagary and then water.

7. Cook covered on low heat until water is mostly evaporated and you are left with a paste.

8. Add rice, stir gently for a few times, to make sure all the rice is coated with masala and it is heated through.

9. Garnish with peanuts, cashew nuts and coconut shavings.

10. Serve with fresh yoghurt (curd or dahi).