If you are coming home from a long day of back breaking work, shopping, hiking or feeling just plain lazy and don't feel like eating Pizza, Chinese or going out you can easily whip up arisim paruppu saatham. When we don't get to eat Indian food for a long period of time this is what we invariably yearn for.
Ingredients
1. 1 1/2 Cups of Rice
2. 3/4 cup dal (moong or toor dal)
3. 4 Red chillies (broken in half and seeds taken out)
4. 1/2 Onion roughly chopped
5. 4 pods of garilc chopped
6. seasonings - mustard, cumin, curry leaves, methi seeds
7. 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
8. 1 tsp chicken masala powder or sambhar powder(optional)
9. 1 tsp oil, 1/w tsp
Method
1. Take a pressure cooker and heat the oil and ghee and add the seasonings, methi,cumin, mustard seeds and curry leaves.
2. When the mustard starts to pop add the red chillies and mix, add the chopped onion and fry till they turn slightly brown. Now add the garlic and saute a little bit.
3. Add turmeric powder (and the other powders) and mix.
4. Add the dal and mix for a minute or two.
5. Add the required amount of water and salt.
6. When the water starts to boil add the rice, chopped corriander
and close the lid and cook for the required time
Optional
Add chopped vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, potatooes) I usually add cut potatoes, the kids like the potatoes.
Serve with lemon pickle, vadakam and yogurt.
