Shakkara Pongal 

(South Indian Dal & Rice Pudding)

This recipe is from Julie Sahni's Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking. This satisfying pudding is made from chana dal (split Bengal gram beans), long-grain rice, whole milk, sugar, and ground cardamom.

To make life easier for me, I first had ground up dry chana dal, mixed it with a little water, and let it sit, covered, in the fridge for a few hours. This way, it could later cook for its suggested time with the rice, and still be done enough for me to eat and enjoy. (Otherwise, I'd not only have to soak the dal all day beforehand, but would also have to grind it up, and then cook it twice as long.) When something is simplified like that, I'm more likely to make it (again)!