Bengali Moong Dal tadka

Ingredients

* 1 cup moong dal
* 2.5 cups water
* 1 tablespoon oil
* 1/2 teaspoon ghee
* 1 teaspoon whole jeera seeds (cumin seeds)
* 1 whole dry red chili
* 1 bay leaf
* 10 -12 florets cauliflower
* 1 carrot
* 1/4th cup peas
* 1/2 teaspoon jeera powder (cumin powder)
* 1/4th red chili powder
* 1/4 th teaspoon coriander powder
* salt to taste
* 1 teaspoon sugar

Method :
* Wash the dal well. Dry it. Then dry roast the daal on low flame in a skillet. Wait till the dal gets a golden and brownish hue. Switch off gas. In a pressure cooker cook the dal with 1.5 cups of water. The daal should be cooked with 3-4 whistles. The dal should go soft after cooking
* In a skillet, heat 1 table spoon of oil and ½ teaspoon of ghee. Add 1 teaspoon of whole jeera seeds, 1 dry red chili, 1 bay leaf.
* Put the cauliflower, a carrot cut into small pieces, peas and any other vegetables you want to put. Add turmeric powder. Add cumin powder, red chili powder, coriander powder. Keep stirring for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of water and stir till the mixture is dry.
* Add the dal and mix well. Add 3/4th cup of water. Mix and add salt to taste. 1 teaspoon of sugar. Cook it till the dal starts boiling. The dal will not be too liquid. It will be of a thick consistency. Serve with hot rice accompanied  with any deep fried item to go along.

--Pushpa