Totally Easy Totally Yummy Jeera Rice and Daal Fry

Ingredients

For the Jeera Rice

• 3 cups basmati rice (long grain, fragrant rice from India)
• 6 tablespoons ghee or butter
• 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1-2 thin green chilies (depending on how much heat you can handle)
• 2 tablespoons salt

For the Daal fry

• 1 1/2 lbs toor dal (you can buy this at an Indian grocer)
• 4 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 1 large onion
• 2 large fresh tomatoes or

  1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes

• 2-3 thin green chilies (depending on how much heat you can handle)
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garam masala (can also be bought at indian grocer)
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons salt

Directions

1. 1

   Wash toor daal in 4 changes of water, then set to cook. put enough water in the toor daal to be about 1 1/2 inches above the daal. If you don't have a pressure cooker, it should take somewhere around 45 minutes for the daal to become soft.

2. 2

   Set the rice to cook at the same time. The rice will cook a little faster and it will be perfect timing for you to add the spices to the rice and have it all prepared as the daal is becoming ready to have the spices added to it.

3. 3

   The ratio of water to rice is two to one. add the salt to the water before cooking as it will be difficult to mix in later. the water should taste nice and salty.

4. 4

   When the rice is almost done, take half of the ghee or butter in a large sauté pan.

5. 5

   Add the cumin seeds, cilantro leaves and chopped green chillies.

6. 6

   Sauté for about 3 minutes on med heat, then add the cooked rice and mix.

7. 7

   Add the rest of the ghee or butter to the rice and mix until consistent.

8. 8

   Set aside and cover to keep warm.

9. 9

   Wash out the sauté pan and begin the spices for the daal by adding the oil, cumin, finely chopped onion and green chillies. Sauté until the onions are transparent.

10. 10

    Add diced tomatoes and sauté for 2 more minutes.

11. 11

    Check the daal to make sure it is soft, then mash with a potato masher until you have a porridge-like consistency. If you need to retrieve water from the pan, then do it beforehand. Just remember, you can always put the water back in if there isn't enough, but you can't take it out once the lentils are mashed.

12. 12

    After the daal is mashed add the sauté mixture.

13. 13

    Add red chili powder for more heat if necessary.

14. 14

    Add garam masala, salt and sugar. stir over heat for 2 minute and it is ready.

15. 15

    Serve over jeera rice with papad and mango pickle.