Rice with Lentils

Hello all, I had been on vacation (India) for last few months. Days/months went by so fast, I enjoyed the sun, the rain and I did eat a lot of food cooked by my mom, my aunts and enjoyed countless plates of panipuris and chaats. Before leaving to India I thought of cooking and posting recipes from there but I was just happy to sit back and enjoy others cooking, which I miss here a lot.

So its been almost 3 weeks, back in Alaska getting back to my daily routines. Have been checking recipes and pictures of my fellow bloggers and events going on. I have been doing the same basic cooking like rice, sambar, chapatis, dosas and idlies since we got here.

Yesterday I made one pot rice dish using lentils (masoor dal /red lentils) for our dinner. One can use small lentils which does not require much soaking time like whole moong dal, brown lentils and green lentils. Combined with rice and topped with corriender leaves and chopped almonds its one wholesome and tasty meal.



Ingredients for Recipe :

• Rice - 1 cup
• Lentils- 1/2 cup

Tempering : Oil - 1tbsp, Fennel seeds - 1tsp

• Onion - 1 medium chopped

Spice Powders : Red chilli powder - 1tsp and Garam Masala - 2 tsp

Garnish : Corriender leaves - one hand full chopped ,Almonds - 2 tbsp chopped and Lime - 2 tsp freshly squeezed.

1. Wash and soak rice and lentils together for about 10 mins.
2. Do the tempering, I do it directly in Pressure cooker. So put oil when hot add fennel seeds and onion. Fry till onion are soft. Add chilli powder and garam masala ( if not using garam masala ,one can use cumin and corriender powder). Mix well.
3. Now drain water from rice-lintels, add it to onion mixture. Add water about double the amouny of rice(for 1 1/2 cups of rice-lentils I added 3 1/2 cups of water). Add salt adjust to taste. Cover with cooker lid and put weight on, cook on meduim low heat till 2 whistle.
4. Once cool enough transfer it to plate squeeze lime juice, garnish with corriender and chopped almonds.

*If doing in open pan, after sauteing onions add water first, when it comes to boil rice mixture and cover and cook on low heat for about 10-15 mins.

Enjoy !

I'll be sending this to Srivalli of cooking 4 all seasons for Rice Mela and to SRA of When my soup came alive to My Legume Love Affair , which was first started by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook.