Yellow Rice with Lentils

This is a bit more substantial and makes a change from plain rice as an accompaniment to a curry.

Ingredients:
175g puy lentils
350g long grain rice
100g ghee or clarified butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
8-10 cloves
4 cardamom pods, crushed
1 cinnamon stick
5ml turmeric
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Method:
Wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clean. Place in a large bowl with the lentils and soak in cold water for 2 hours or more.

Heat the ghee or clarified butter in a frying pan and gently fry the onions and garlic over low heat until the onions are soft and translucent, but not coloured. Add the spices and seasoning and fry for another 3-4 minutes.

Drain the rice and lentils and add to the onion, garlic and spices in the pan, stirring well to make sure all the rice grains are coated with the mixture. Add 900ml boiling water and bring to the boil. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes until the rice grains are tender.

Remove the lid from the pan but leave on the heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid has all been absorbed. Serve hot.

Cooks Tip:

To crush cardamom pods, put them on a wooden chopping board and place a heavy based pan on top of them, exerting downward pressure. The pods just need to pop so that the seeds inside can be exposed to the cooking liquids in the dish you are preparing.