RICE & LENTILS

I have to admit I really only enjoy vegetarian food if I can have a
bit of meat with it, but this recipe is completely perfect in its own
right, so you don’t have to try and improve it by adding sausages,
chicken or pork chops unless you really want to …
6 oz (150 g) basmati rice
6 oz (150 g) brown or green lentils or yellow split peas
2 onions
Mushrooms
3⁄4 tsp cumin seeds
3⁄4 tsp turmeric
3⁄4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp sugar
Olive oil
Vegetable oil
11⁄4 pints (approx 750 ml) water
2 eggs
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Salt & pepper
Method
1. Soak the lentils in cold water overnight. Rinse the soaked lentils
or yellow split peas thoroughly then put them in a pan with
approximately 11⁄4 pints (750 ml) of cold water, bring to the
boil and simmer gently for about 25 minutes until the lentils are
soft. (Don’t strain the water away.)
2. Warm a very large pan on the hob and toast the cumin seeds
for a minute until you start to smell the flavour coming off
them (don’t let them burn) then add some olive oil to the pan
followed by the cinnamon, turmeric and rice.
3. Stir well and make sure the rice is coated with the oil and spices.
4. Add the cooked lentils and their water to the pan with the rice,
season with salt and pepper, bring to the boil, cover and simmer
very gently over a low heat for about 20 minutes or until the rice
is done.
5. Meanwhile, put the eggs into the pan to cook with the rice for
10 minutes then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
6. While you’re waiting for the rice to cook warm some vegetable
oil in a small pan then stir in the sugar. As soon as the oil is
darker in colour, add the onions and cook for a few minutes
until they’re golden, or just the way you like them, then add the
mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes.
7. As soon as the rice is cooked take the pan off the heat and if
you think there’s still a little too much liquid strain some away.
8. Mix the onions and mushrooms with the rice and lentils and
garnish with the chopped hard-boiled eggs, sliced tomatoes and
cucumber.