This is a very soothing and easy to digest dish, and is good to eat when convalescing from an illness or when your digestion is sensitive. It also tastes very good and makes a nice comfort meal anytime. You can vary the texture from thick like cooked rice, to porridge-like, to soupy, by varying water amount. I give a water amount for an in-between porridge texture.
The traditional Indian dish uses clarified butter or ghee. I substituted olive oil, and added kombu for extra nutrition.
Combine the first group of ingredients, bring to a boil, and cook 30-40 minutes. The moong dal should be completely soft and the rice should be cooked through. Add more water if you want a thinner texture. Add salt to taste.
Heat the olive oil on medium low flame, and add the cumin seeds. Cook the seeds, which are a greyish brown color, until they change to a more chocolate brown color. Add the oil and cumin to the moong dal mixture, and add lemon juice to taste.