We eat this very nutritious rice dish a lot and frequently serve it to our guests. It is almost a meal in itself, and may be served simply with Karhi, a yogurt sauce, and any vegetable you like.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　1/2 cup lentils

　　2 cups basmati rice

　　3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

　　Two 2-inch cinnamon sticks

　　8 cardamom pods

　　2 bay leaves

　　1/2 medium onion, cut into fine half rings

　　1 1/2 teaspoons salt

　　

Step 1

Soak the lentils in warm water for 3–5 hours. Drain.

　　

Step 2

Wash the rice in several changes of water. Drain. Soak in fresh water for 30 minutes. Drain.

　　

Step 3

Pour the oil into a heavy, medium pan (that has a tight-fitting lid) and set over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaves. Stir for 10 seconds. Put in the onions. Stir and fry until they turn reddish brown. Add the lentils, rice, and salt. Turn heat to medium and sauté rice very gently for a minute. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn heat to very, very low, and cook gently for 25 minutes.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.