Red Lentil Rice

Before I start cooking, when time permits, I go through the food blogosphere to get some inspiration and ideas. Sometimes it is the recipe that grabs my attention, but most of the time it is the beautiful pictures that really make me drool so much that I cook immediately.

Even though you know that recipe, have been cooking for ages, when you look at a beautifully taken shot, you feel like eating it right away.

This is one such recipe from DK's Chef In You. this is the second recipe I am trying form Chef In You. The first was Tres Leches Cake. What I like about her site is the step by step instructions with pictures. You don't even have to read through the whole post. A glance at the pictures is enough.

Red lentils are the easiest of the lentils to cook. You don't need to use a pressure cooker. when you are in a time crunch these are the best lentils to use. You can make any kind of dal or sambar too with these red lentils.



Ingredients:

• Onions: 1 medium sized.
• Red bell pepper: 1/2
• Green bell pepper: 1/2
• Red lentils: 1/4 cup
• Uncooked Rice: 1 cup
• Green Peas: 3 tbsp
• Green Chillies: 3(cut length wise)
• Cilantro( finely chopped): 2 tbsp
• Green onions(finely chopped): 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
• Oil: 4 tbsp
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Garlic" 2 cloves(minced)
• Bay Leaf: 1
• Cinnamon: a small piece
• Cardamom: 2
• Cloves: 4-5
• Water/stock: 2.5 cups

Procedure:

1. Add oil to a pan and saute the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf, garlic and turmeric for a minute.
2. Now add the onions, green chillies and salt and saute until the onion becomes soft and transparent.
3. Now add the vegetables - bell pepper and peas and fry for few more minutes.
4. When the vegetables are half cooked, add the rice and lentils and fry fore 2-3 minutes.
5. Now add the water/stock and adjust the salt.
6. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for few minutes stirring in between until the rice is cooked. Takes about 10 minutes.
7. Fluff the rice gently with a fork and turn off the stove and keep the pan covered for few more minutes.
8. Garnish with cilantro and green onions before serving.

Note: You can add any vegetables. Carrots, potatoes and green beans would taste great.