Ghee Bhaat with Chholar Daal

A. Ingredients for Chholar daal:

1. One cup of Chholar daal(Chana)
2. One large onion-sliced
3. One large potato-cut into pieces
4. 2/3 dry red chillies
5. 1tbsp. of white cummin powder
6. 1/2tbsp. of coriander powder.
7. 1/2tbsp. of currylvs.powder(optional)
8. 1/2tbsp. of turmeric powder
9. salt, 1/2 tbsp. of sugar, oil.
10. cloves, cardamom - 3 pieces each(smashed)
11. Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tbsp.

B. Ingredients for Ghee Bhat:

1. Two cups of Bashamati rice
2. 1tbsp. of black mustard seeds.
3. A handful of dry curry leaves.
4. A handful of dry chieves.
5. Salt, ghee.

Method for A:

1. Heat oil in Pressure cooker.Add red chillies.
2. Add onion and fry. Add potato-pieces.
3. Mix cumin, coriander, currylvs, & turmeric pow. in 1/2 cup of water. Add it. Add salt, sugar.
4. Add washed daal. Pressure cook until it is done.
5. Meanwhile dry roast clove-cardamom-cinnamon powder.
6. Add to the cooked daal. Let the gravy thicken on medium flame.
7. Test the salt-remove from the oven.
8. The daal will be thick and a sweet aroma will come out if cooked properly.

Method for B:

1. Cook rice with 4 cups of water.
2. Let it be cool. Heat ghee.
3. Add mustard seeds,curry leaves and chieves.
4. Let them splutter. Add rice and keep stirring. Grains should be intact.
5. Add salt. Remove. Chholar daal goes well with Puri, loochi, Parota (paratha) etc. It is a very popular dish in West Bengal.