Green Lentils and Rice

I love lentils. I love rice. When I found this recipe, I was ecstatic- you mean I can combine two of my favorite sides to make one even better one?! Hurrah! And this dish is not your run-of-the-mill rice dish. It has just the right amount of spice combined with a nice warm hint of cinnamon. Sounds weird, I know (but after the sweet potatoes with black beans, no combination of spices can scare me), but it's really great.

Try serving with Chicken Saag or Chicken Curry Korma.

Green Lentils and Rice
Recipe adapted from India's 500 Best Recipes
Pictures by Caroline

1 3/4 cups rice (basmati recommended)
3/4 cups green lentils, rinsed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger root, peeled and grated
2 jalepeno peppers, chopped
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
3 1/2 cups water

1. Place lentils into a small bowl. Pour cold water over the top until lentils are covered. Soak about 20 minutes.
   
2. Pour lentils and water into a medium saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain.
   
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil on medium heat in a large pot. Saute the onion, garlic, ginger, peppers, cloves, cinnamon, turmeric and salt until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the lentils and rice and saute 2-3 minutes. Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook about 20-25 minutes, checking periodically to add more water if needed. Cook until all the water is absorbed and rice is tender.