Bisi Bela Bath

Ingredients:

rice 1/2 cup (washed and soaked in water for half an hour)
toor dal - 3/4 cup
medium potatoes peeled and cut into big chunks - 2
carrot cut into big pieces - 1
beans cut into long pieces - 100gms
capsicum cut into big pieces (optional) - 1
(can also include vegetables like turnip, English gourd, cauliflower)
salt according to taste
water to cook dal and rice

For Seasoning :

oil - 3 tbsp
mustard - 2 tsp
gram dal - one tsp
urad dal - one tsp

For Paste :

coconut - 1/2
coriander seed - 1 and 1/2 table spoons
gram dhal - 1 and 1/4table spoon
urad dhal - 1 table spoon
jeera (cumin seed) - 1 tsp
red chillies - 10 - 12
pepper - 4 to 5 corns
Cinnamon - 1 inch
clove - 1
fenugreek and mustard - very few
asafoetida - a pinch
tamarind - a small lemon size
onion - 1 no
tomato - 1 no
jaggery - a small piece

Method:

In a pressure cooker, put the dal and add enough water.
Cook till half done, one whistle would be enough.
Grind all the ingredients listed for paste.
Roast all with a little oil till golden brown.
Add this to the other ingredients required for the paste and grind till smooth.
Once the dal is done, In a heavy based cooker or pan put oil.
Once the oil is heated, add mustard and allow to splutter.
Add the gram and urad dals and wait till golden brown.
Now add the ground paste and stir for a minute or two.
To this, add the cut vegetables and fry for a few minutes.
Add the half cooked toor dal ( including water) and the soaked and drained rice.
Add enough water to cook the rice well. It may take the twice the usual amount.The result should semi solid.
Add the salt and set the cooker, 1 or 2 whistles would be enough.
Serve hot with a dollop of ghee (optional) with potato chips and any raitha.