Bisi bele bath

First make the powder: dry-roast the coriander seeds, chana dal, urad dal, dried chillies, fenugreek, peppercorns, marathi moggu, cinnamon and fennel separately on a low flame until each smells fragrant. Cool completely and grind to a powder.

Cook the rice and the toor dal separately until soft, and mash the dal well.

Soak the tamarind and extract two cups of pulp.

Cook the vegetables in the tamarind water with salt until tender.

Add the cooked dal, the ground powder and the cooked rice. Simmer for 10 minutes, adding hot water if it thickens too far - it should be loose enough to eat with a spoon.

Heat the ghee, pop the mustard seeds, add the curry leaves and asafoetida, and pour over the dish.

Stir in the boondi if using, and serve hot with more ghee and a spoon of yogurt on the side.