Some day, 2004
‘Rada’ in tapori Bambaiya Hindi means a brawl or a fight. Like ‘locha’ or ‘maramari’ or ‘muchmuch’. The reason I’m giving you all these terms is because this recipe does the same with your tastebuds. Really enjoyable with cold, cold beer.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
1 cup rice
1/2 cup tuvar dal
1/2 cup moong dal
6 Kashmiri chillies
100 ml tomato paste
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Bagar/tempering:
4 strips bacon (cut into pieces)
1 tsp olive oil
2-3 bay leaves
6-8 peppercorns
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies (sliced into small yet thickish pieces)
1and a 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp chilli powder
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2 large sausages, cut chunky (use any sausage you like; this is an option)
Lemon-sized ball of tamarind soaked in water
1/2 tsp shrimp paste
Salt to taste

HOW TO

Wash dals together.
In a wok, heat a little olive oil.
When hot, chuck in Kashmiri chillies.
As they splutter, add half tomato paste.
When they all come to a bubbling boil, add the dal.
Mix about.
Wee bit of salt can be put.
Follow general principle of two is to one when it comes to water for the dal. When water comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer.
Bagar/tempering:
Start when dal is on simmer.
Into a skillet goes the bacon.
As fat heats and splutters, add olive oil.
When nice and very hot, in go the bay leaves, peppercorns and seeds: coriander, cumin, mustard.
They’re going to heat and pop, so be quick with the green chillies and ginger-garlic paste.
As with the turmeric and chilli powder.
Stir throughout; at the end for less than half a minute.
Add the remaining tomato paste and give it good fry.
Bagar now ready.
Add it to the dal (a simple thing to do is ladle a few scoops of dal into skillet, give it a good mix, then transfer to the wok), which will be in a semi-cooked state.
Pop in the sausages.
Stir, add tamarind and shrimp paste.
Check for taste, and add salt.
Now, put in the rice (wash rice at the same time as dal; in separate bowls, please).
Adding water gets a bit tricky now.
I stopped when the water level rose to two fingers.
Use discretion or cellphone (call a mom!).
Stir every now for flavours to mix and permeate.
When dal and rice get cooked till the point of sticky (did I mention this is a kichdi?), remove from stove and allow to rest for a few minutes.
Or why wait?
Plunge into it right away.
Enjoy!