Rice and Lentil Pilaf - Indian Style
"This is a comfort-food that is an adaptation of a Sara Moulton recipe. Basmati rice with the added flavors of whole spices toasted in oil, with lentils and potatoes. A bit of work, but well worth the effort."
photo by K9 Owned
- Ready In:
- 1hr 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 16
- Serves:
-
4
ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1⁄4 cup vegetable oil, divided
- 1 1⁄2 inches cinnamon sticks
- 6 cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 1⁄2 teaspoon coriander seed
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed
- 2 dried red chilies
- 3 whole cloves
- 3⁄4 cup basmati rice
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- kosher salt
- 2⁄3 cup lentils
- 1⁄2 lb potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (boiling kind, like Yukon gold or Red Bliss)
- 3 medium carrots, grated
- fresh ground black pepper
directions
- Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaf, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, chiles, and cloves and then cook for about a minute while stirring, until the spices become fragrant. Take the spices out of the pot and reserve. Turn the heat down to med-low and add the onion to the pan. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring once and a while, and then take the pot off the heat and set aside.
- Rinse the rice in a colander. Once the rice is rinsed and drained, add it to the onion in the saucepan and put in the reserved spices and add the turmeric and cook over med-heat, stirring, for about 1 minute.
- Add in 1 1/2 C water and 1/2 t salt to the mixture and bring it all to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan with a paper towel and then the lid. Let this simmer this way, over low heat, for approx.20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been soaked up. Take the pan off of the heat and set aside, leaving it covered, for approximately 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the lentils, 2 C water and 1/2 t salt in a different saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Then put a lif on it and simmer, over low heat. for approximately 25 minutes (until the lentils get tender).
- Now, heat the remaining 2 T vegetable oil, over medium heat, in a large nonstick skillet. Add in the potatoes and cook for approx 10 or 12 minutes, until the potatoes get a bit browned (stirring occasionally). Take the heat down to low and cook for about 5 minutes more. Then you can add the carrots to the potatoes and cook for 3 more minutes, or just until both are tender.
- Next, you can fluff the rice with a fork and take out the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves and chiles. Then drain your lentils and stir them into the rice along with the potato mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.
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Reviews
-
It was delicious!! Definitely not a week night meal if one works outside the home. It always takes me longer when making a new recipe and this was no exception - I'd guess at least 90 minutes. I made it exactly as written (the directions were great!) and will make it again when I have the time to. We had this as a side dish but if I added meat to the mixture it would totally work as a main meal for my meat loving husband. -
Even with my substitutions this is an awesome dish. When I got to cook dinner I discovered that I was short on carrots and could not find cinnamon sticks nor cumin seeds in the pantry. I added in a parsnip with the carrots which added a touch of sweetness. I had a spice blend that listed the spices called for in the recipe. The onions were cooked as instructed and then 2 tablespoons of the spice blend sprinkled over. Basmati brown rice was used which expended the cooking time for about 10 minutes. After the rice was cooked and fluffed the lentils and potato mixture were stirred in. The end product was served with poppadums. Made for Aussie Swap.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
LifeIsGood
United States
Hello! I have a wonderful husband and two fantastic kids. I love to read, have fun with family and friends, stay active with: running; soccer; golf; biking; hiking; and gardening. I love to travel. I'm looking forward to more international travel someday. Cooking has become a passion for me. I love to read cookbooks, watch the Food Network, and try new recipes. I have way too many cookbooks! A few of my favorites are: Barefoot Contessa (any - but especially 'Family Style'),Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals 2, Roasting by Barbara Kafka, Beyond Parsley & The Black Dog Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook. I try to carefully choose recipes that I think my family will enjoy, which is why most of my ratings are 3-5 stars. Happy cooking!
