Fragrantredlentilswithrice Recipes

Steps:

• Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse them under running water. Add them to a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chile, if using, and the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any scum from the surface. DO NOT ADD SALT YET; it will toughen the lentils, thereby lengthening their cooking time. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and gently simmer until the lentils are tender, almost translucent, and almost falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Whisk the lentils, releasing its natural starch, and mash some them so the mixture becomes thick. Add salt, to taste.
• Tempering oil (bagaar): In a small bowl, combine the cumin and mustard seeds. In another bowl, combine the spice powders. Have all the ingredients ready because this will move very fast!
• In a small skillet, over a medium-high flame, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add seeds and immediately cover so you don't get covered in spluttering oil and seeds! Add the spices. They should sizzle and bubble a little - that's the blooming and it's exactly what you want. Don't let them burn. The mixture should bloom for about 30 seconds, no more.
• Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, standing back so you don't get hurt when the mixture splutters again. Stir to combine. Transfer the lentils to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

Steps:

• Cover the lentils with the water.
• Peel and crush the garlic cloves lightly with the back of a knife. Leave the cloves whole, so that they flavor the dish but can be removed if desired. (I leave them out of the kids' portions, and give them to my DH and myself).
• Add garlic to the pot, along with the bay leaves, cumin seeds and cinnamon. (DO NOT add salt at this point, as lentils will not cook properly).
• Bring to a boil. Cook at a boil until the lentils are just tender. This should take about 25 minutes, but may take longer dependig on the age of your lentils.
• Add the rice, salt and olive oil, and bring back to a boil.
• Stir, cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes.
• Check to make sure the rice is done, adjust seasonings, and serve. If there is still too much liquid in the pan, just let it sit uncovered for a few minutes.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a large pot, sauté the diced red onion and minced garlic in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add the water, green lentils, and salt to the large pot. Bring to a boil.
• Cover with lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
• To make the caramelized onions, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat and add the onion slices, stirring occasionally until completely soft, dark brown, and caramelized.
• NOTE: This will take about 30 minutes. The onions should become very dark and tacky when finished. Stir often to avoid burning.
• Add the rice, cumin, cinnamon, and bayleaf to the lentils. Stir.
• Cook covered for about 15 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
• Serve lentils and rice topped with the caramelized onions, chopped fresh parsley, lemon wedges, and Greek yogurt if desired.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Let the oil get heated in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add diced onion and stir/saute for 6 minutes or until onion starts to brown.
• Add in ginger and next 5 ingredients; stir/saute for 1 minute.
• Add 3 cups water, lentils, and salt; bring to a boil.
• Cover, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until lentils are tender; throw out bay leaves.
• Melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
• Add in green onions and jalapeno pepper; stir/saute for 5 minutes.
• Add to lentil mixture along with lime juice, cilantro, and garam masala; stir to combine.
• To serve: put 1/2 cup rice into a shallow bowl; spoon 3/4 cup lentil mixture over rice for each serving; top with 1 tablespoon yogurt for each serving.

Steps:

• Drop the pancetta into the food processor bowl, and pulse several times, to chop the meat into small bits.
• Scrape all the chopped pancetta right into a heavy 5- to 6-quart saucepan.
• Put the onion, carrot, celery, and sage leaves into the empty food processor bowl, and mince together into a fine-textured paste or pestata.
• Put the butter and olive oil into the saucepan with the minced pancetta, and set over med-high heat.
• Cook, stirring, as the butter melts and the fat starts to render.
• When the pancetta is sizzling, scrape in the vegetable pestata, and stir it around the pan until it has dried and begins to stick, 4 minutes or so.
• Clear a space on the pan bottom and drop in the tomato paste, toast it in the hot spot for a minute, then stir together with the pestata.
• Increase the heat, pour in the wine, and cook, stirring, until the wine has almost completely evaporated.
• Pour in 8 cups of hot water and the tablespoon of salt, stir well, and heat to a boil (add all 10 cups of hot water if you want to serve the rice and lentils as a thick soup rather than a denser riso).
• Cover the pan, and decrease the heat slightly, to keep the water at a moderate boil, and let it bubble for 20 minutes or so, to deepen the flavors.
• Stir in the lentils, return to a gentle boil, and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils just start to soften, 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in the rice, return to a bubbling simmer, and cook, cover ajar, until the rice is al dente, 13 minutes or so.
• If the dish is thickening more than you like, lower the heat and cover the pan completely.
• If it seems too thin, remove the cover and cook at a faster boil.
• When the rice and lentils are fully cooked, turn off the heat.
• Stir in the scallions and grated cheese.
• Serve in warm bowls, passing more cheese at the table.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients except the cheese strips and turn into an ungreased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
• Cover and bake at 350F for about 1 1/2 hours until lentils and rice are cooked, stirring twice.
• Place cheese strips on top of the lentil-rice mixture.
• Bake uncovered 2-3 minutes until cheese melts.