Ingredients:
1 cupbasmati rice, preferably Dehraduni or jasmine rice
1/3 cupmoong dal or masoor dal
1 teaspoonpeeled grated ginger
1/4 teaspoonturmeric powder
4 tablespoonsplus ½ teaspoon ghee or unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoonscashews, broken into large pieces
1 teaspooncumin seeds or ground cumin
1/2 teaspoonwhole black peppercorns or freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cupdried unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/4 teaspoonskosher salt
Big pinch of asafetida (hing) powder
Directions:
Wash the rice in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water, generously covered, for 30 minutes. (This is optional but results in softer, more evenly cooked rice.) Drain thoroughly with a fine-mesh sieve.
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the lentils, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown and have a nutty aroma. (This step is optional but reduces the stickiness of the dal.) Thoroughly wash the lentils with a fine-mesh colander. Return to the pot and add the rice and 3½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, skimming the foam off the top. Add the ginger, turmeric, and 2 tablespoons of the ghee.
Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice and lentils are completely cooked. At this point, the grains will look separate. Add another ½ cup of water and continue to cook over medium-low heat, partially covered, for about 5 minutes. When you stir the mixture, it should have a creamy consistency. Feel free to mash the rice and lentils with a spoon. The consistency should be similar to a risotto. Remove from the heat.
While the rice and lentils are cooking, in a tempering pot or small pan over medium heat, heat ½ teaspoon of the ghee. Add the cashews and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Set the cashews aside to cool in a bowl lined with a paper towel. If using cumin seeds and peppercorns, roughly crush them in a mortar with a pestle. Set aside.
When the rice and lentil mixture is cooked, mix in the coconut, salt, and fried cashews, reserving some cashews for garnish.
In the tempering pot or small pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the ghee. Add the crushed black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and asafetida. Fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Immediately pour the spiced ghee over the rice. To get all the spiced ghee out of the pot, put a spoonful of the rice mixture into the pot, stir, and spoon it back into the remaining rice mixture. Taste for salt. Garnish with the reserved cashews. Serve hot.
When reheating, add a little water to loosen up the dish, as it has a tendency to dry out.