RICE AND LENTIL MEDLEY

Ingredients

3 cups old basmati rice
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
1 cup split yellow moong dal
5 bay leaves
4 tbsps oil or ghee
2 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 large onion finely chopped
10 cloves
1 cup carrots and potatoes (chopped into small cubes) or mixed vegetables  (peas, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower)
2 large tomato finely chopped
1 tsp coriander pwd
1 tsp garam masala pwd
salt to taste
1/2 tsp whole black pepper
10 cups of water

Method 

 Wash the rice and dal and soak them together in water for 15-20 mts.
 In a  pot, heat oil or ghee. Add the cumin seeds, let them splutter and turn slightly     brown. Add the cloves and bay leaves and let them pop few seconds .
 Add the onions and ginger and saute them, when  they begin to turn brown, add turmeric pwd and mix.
Add the mixed vegetables and cook them covered for 5 mts on low heat.
Add the tomatoes and cook them till they form a gooey paste.
Drain the water from the rice and dal mixture and add to the onion-tomato mixture. Combine and add the pepper pwd, coriander pwd, garam masala pwd and salt. Mix well till the spice powders are blended well with the rest of the other ingredients.
 Add the water to the above mixture, bring to a boil, cover and cook on low heat till both the dal and rice are cooked. This could take approx 20-25 mts.
 Serve it as a meal by itself or with a pickle of your choice, yogurt and appadam