Ingredients

• Basmati  rice - up to the 500ml mark in a measuring jug
• 100 gm  chana dhal
• Coriander leaves ? small bunch chopped
• 600 ml warm vegetable stock
• Pinch of saffron strands
• 50 gm coconut milk powder

Vegetables: whatever you fancy.

• 1 medium onion, halved and sliced
• Chopped green beans 100 gm
• Chopped carrot - 100 gm
• 2 chopped celery sticks
• Sweet  potato - 100gms
• Green peas - 50 gm

Ginger-Garlic paste - made with 5 cloves of garlic and 5cm of peeled ginger whizzed in a food processor with a little oil to make a paste

Spices:

• ½ tsp  Fennel seeds
• 5 green cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 4 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 5cm Cinnamon stick

• Light oil for frying
• Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

1. Soak the chana Dahl for a hour, then simmer in a small pan of water for about 30 minutes or until tender.
2. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes and then rinse until the water is clear. Drain.
3. Chop all the big vegetables in a small dice and put them aside.
4. Add the saffron strands and the coconut milk powder to the warm stock and mix well. Stand for 10 minutes.
5. Sauté the onion with the spices for 5 minutes.
6. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes,
7. Add the vegetables and sauté for another 5 minutes.
8. Add the rice and mix well with the vegetables.
9. Add the stock/coconut milk mix and ¼ tsp salt.
10. Mix well and slowly bring to the boil.
11. Turn down to a very low heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
12. Gently turn the rice  into serving dish.
13. Optionally garnish with crispy fried onions, crushed pistachio nuts, chopped  coriander leaves.