Masoor pulao

Serving for - 2

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice - soaked in water for 15-20 mins

half cup masoor dal (brown lentils) - Wash and soak for at least 1 hour and drain out excess water

1 medium onion - finely chopped

1 small tomato - finely chopped

1 bay leaf

2 green cardamon

3-4 cloves of garlic - finely chopped

1 tsp red chili powder

1/4 tsp of paprika (optional)

3 tsp oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

half tsp of turmeric powder

pinch of asafoetida

1 and half cup of water

salt to taste

Spices for making masala :

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

4 black pepper

Procedure:

• First dry roast all spices on medium heat. Switch off the heat when nice aroma starts to come out. Grind them coarsely and keep it aside.
• Heat up oil in pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, green cardamon, bay leaf and let them crackle. Add chopped onions to it. Saute onion till it becomes translucent. Then add chopped garlic. Saute it till raw smell goes away.
• Add chopped tomato and saute it for 2 mins. Now it's time to add dry spices. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, red chili powder, paprika and masala which we made before. Saute spices till oil starts to loose out.
• Add soaked masoor dal to it and add salt to taste. Mix dal well with spices.
• Add soaked rice to it and mix gently. Add water and cook rice till 2 whistles.
• Garnish pulao with cilantro.