Masoor Biryani

Masoor, the dark black-brown lentils and rice make a very good combination and with all the spices in it ends up in a tasty flavoured biryani. I followed a short cut so made this in the pressure cooker but you can also make the masoor masala and then mix it with the cooked rice giving layers of the masala. That makes a tempting flovoured Biryani. Here is how i made it.
Ingredients -
1 cup rice
1/2 cup masoor
1 large onion cut lenghtwise
1 tomato diced finely
1 tspn ginger-garlic paste
2 green chilis
1/2 tspn cumin seeds and mustard seeds each
a pinch of asafoetida
1 tbspn cumin-coriander powder
1 tspn chilli powder
2 cups water (double as that of rice)
Salt as per taste
Oil
Method -
1) Wash the masoor and rice together and soak it for sometime.
2) Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the mustard seeds. Once they crackle add cumin seeds, asafoetida and green chillis.
3) Add the onions and saute for sometime. Then add tomatoes and saute for some more time till the tomatoes are mushy.
4) Now add all the powders and stir well.
5) At this stage add the masoor and rice and mix well so that all the masala would be nicely mixed with the rice.
6) Add water and salt. mix well and cover the pressure cooker. Make 3 whistles.
7) Remove in a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro. The Masoor Biryani is ready.