Khichdi (easy indian lentils and rice)

• Half cup rice
• Quarter cup red lentils (masoor)
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 1″ cinammon
• 4 cloves
• 1 tsp whole cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• Half tsp turmeric powder
• 3 cups of water
• 1 tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Wash the rice and lentils well and mix together. Heat the oil and when hot fry the cinammon, cloves, cardamom and bay leaf. When the leaf starts going brown, add the whole cumin and let it sizzle up.
Then add the onion and fry well until it starts going brown. Chuck in the turmeric and give the masalas (the warm spices) a good stir.
Add the rice and lentils, and fry for a minutes stirring the masala into the mixture evenly. Add some salt at this stage.
Lower the flame to a medium heat, add the water, cover and cook. During this time, you can add raw carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, peas etc if you wish.
When the lentils lose their shape and the rice is cooked, your khichdi is ready.

Khichdi is the simplest and most adaptable recipe I've ever found when it comes to Indian food, kind of like the Indian equivalent of comfort food. Not only are they fairly normal ingredients but you can add veggies, meat, change the spices, etc. without too much problem. The combination of lentils and rice also provides a complete protien! Hooray!