1.   Groceries with sacks of colorful lentils, blocks of tart-sweet tamarind paste and jars of cardamom pods have brought Indian ingredients to the American marketplace.

2.   If tamarind paste is too difficult to find, omit it from the recipe and use two teaspoons molasses and a little more lime juice.

3.   In another bowl, dilute tamarind paste with water.

4.   Reconstitute the tamarind paste.

5.   Remove from heat, fluff up with a fork, then fluff the tamarind paste into the rice.