Ingredients

Masala 1

• 4 green chillies
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
• Pinch of salt

Masala 2

• 4 green chillies
• 1 ¾ inch of ginger, roughly chopped
• Pinch of salt

Dhal

• 200g split peas
• 300ml water
• Alternative method 200g dried pigeon peas / yellow lentils

Rice

• 200g Basmalti rice
• 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp turmeric

Fried Vegetables

• Extra virgin olive oil for frying
• 1 green pepper, cut into 2cm chunks
• 1 red pepper, cut into 2cm chunks
• 2 medium onions, cut into 5mm wide rings

Aubergine curry

• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp asafetida
• 2 medium aubergines, cut into 2cm cubes
• 300g squash/root veg or potato, cut into 2cm cubes
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 30g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 300g plain thick yoghurt

Method

Masalas

• Make the two masalas, one at a time, by putting all the ingredients into the mixed and blitz until they form a fine paste.  Set them aside.

Rice and Dhal

• If using split peas, rinse in water and drain.  Place in the pressure cooker along with 300ml and bring up to pressure.  Turn down and cook for 13 minutes at pressure.  Turn off and leave the lid to release naturally.  (roughly ten minutes)
• Alternative method (If using Yellow lentils, rinse with hot water at least three times and then leave to soak in the hot water for at least ten minutes.)
• Rinse the rice twice in warm water and drain.
• Heat 50ml of oil in a large pan for 1 minute over a medium heat.  Add the rice (and yellow lentils if cooking together), stirring gently until everything is coated in oil.
• Add the salt, turmeric and the first masala paste, stir and then pour 650ml of boiling water if doing the rice on its own (Alternative method – 850ml if cooking yellow lentils with it).  Turn up to high and bring to the boil, cooking uncovered for 1 minute. 
• Reduce the heat to medium, cover loosely and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Lower the heat to its lowest point and place a piece of foil over the top of the saucepan, with the lid on top to seal.  Cook for a further 8 minutes.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.
• Remove the foil and lid and leave to cool in the pan.  (If you have cooked the split peas separately, add them to the rice at this point and mix gently. Leaving them to cool together).
• Heat the oil for the vegetables in a large frying pan and fry the peppers for roughly 3 minutes, then remove from the pan and place on kitchen towel.
• Fry the onion rings in batches until they are dark brown – this should take about 4-5 minutes.  Once cooked, leave to rest on kitchen towel with the peppers.

Aubergine curry 

• Heat 100ml oil in a large pan on a medium heat for one minute then add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop add the asafetida along with the aubergine and root vegetable/potatoes.  Stir and reduce the heat to low, adding the second masala paste along with the turmeric, salt, ground coriander, ground cumin and 50 ml of warm water. 
• Bring to the boil, then cover and cook on a low heat for 7-8 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes and chopped coriander and cook for a further 5 minutes, until the vegetable are cooked through.  Remove from heat.

Construction

• Add 1/3^rd of the rice and dhal mix to the base of the pan to form a layer roughly 2cm thick.
• Then add ½ of the aubergine curry mix, followed by half of the yoghurt, then 1/3^rd of the onions and peppers.
• Repeat the above, 1/3^rd rice and dhal, then the rest of the curry, then the rest of the yoghurt, the second third of the peppers and onions.  Finally adding the last third of the rice and dhal mix, topping it with the rest of the onions and peppers.
• Place the foil back over the top of the pan, using the lid to seal it and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes.
• Leave to rest for at least ten minutes.  Serve hot….but it is also delicious cold!