It’s only now that my daughter asks me to pack rice for school lunch. It has always been prohibited before. I always try to give a wholesome and complete dish ( one pot meal) for lunch.

I made capsicum rice today. I had planned to add some soya granules to enhance the protein content.

But in the morning I found out that I had not stocked up soya granules.

So, I had to find an alternative. That time, I got this idea of using chutney dal. I use powdered chutney dal powder in a particular Upma recipe. It gives a very nice crunchy texture to the Upma. I decided to use the same today for this rice.

As I had expected, it added a very nice crunchy texture to the rice along with enhancing the protein content of the rice:)

And I was really happy when my daughter gave a thumps up after tasting the rice:)

Ingredients

Cooked rice – 11/2 cups

Onion – 1 medium sized

Tomato – 1 medium sized

Capsicum – 1

Oil – 1 tbsp

Ghee – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder- 1/2 tsp

Coriander ( dhania) powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4th tsp

Cumin ( jeera) powder- 1/2 tsp

Garam masala powder- 1/4th tsp

Salt to taste

For tempering

Mustard – 1 tsp

Split urad dal ( ullundhu) – 1 tsp

Chana dal ( kadala paruppu) – tsp

Hing – a pinch

Garlic – 4 cloves

Green chillies – 1-2

Curry leaves – few

Chopped coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

To grind

Puffed chana dal ( chutney dal) – 1/2 cup

Grated coconut – 1 tbsp

Method

Peel, wash and chop the onions finely.

Wash and cut capsicum and tomato finely.

Wash and cut green chillies.

Peel, wash, crush and chop the garlic cloves.

Grind puffed chana dal and coconut to a coarse powder.

Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add urad DSL, chana dal, green chillies, curry leaves, garlic and hing.

Sauté for few seconds and then add chopped onions. Sauté till onions turn pale.

Add the chopped capsicum. Sauté for few mins and then add chopped tomato.

Mix well and add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander and cumin powder, garam masala and salt to taste. Mix again. Reduce the flame, cover the pan and cook till the vegetables becomes tender ( just cooked).

Add the ground puffed chana dal powder and mix well.

Sauté for few mins and then add the cooked rice and a tsp of ghee.

Mix well and sauté on high flame for a min.

Take off the gas. Add lemon juice and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with yogurt/ raita and papad:)