Embark on a culinary journey to the Middle East with this delectable rice dish infused with the vibrant flavors of green lentils, plump raisins, and sweet dates. This hearty and wholesome meal is not only a feast for the senses but also a nourishing treat for the body. Discover the culinary secrets behind this traditional dish as we guide you through the simple yet flavorful steps to create a perfect harmony of textures and tastes.
This versatile recipe offers variations to suit every palate. For a vegetarian delight, savor the meatless version, where lentils take center stage, providing a rich source of plant-based protein. If you prefer a more robust flavor, incorporate minced beef or chicken for a satisfying protein boost. Customize the dish further by adjusting the spice level to your preference, ensuring a harmonious balance between warmth and comfort.
Accompany this main course with an array of Middle Eastern-inspired side dishes to complete your culinary exploration. Delight in the refreshing crunch of a cucumber and tomato salad, where the coolness of cucumbers and the tangy sweetness of tomatoes create a refreshing contrast to the warmth of the rice dish. Indulge in the creamy smoothness of a yogurt sauce, adding a cooling touch and a subtle tang to each bite.
For a sweet ending, treat yourself to the irresistible combination of kanafeh and rice pudding. Kanafeh, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert, features layers of crispy filo pastry, sweet cheese, and syrup, offering a delightful mix of textures and flavors. Rice pudding, a comforting classic, provides a creamy and soothing conclusion to your culinary adventure.
Welcome to a culinary adventure that celebrates the diverse flavors of the Middle East. Let's delve into the recipes and unlock the secrets of creating a memorable dining experience.
LENTILS AND RICE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: medium red onion, olive oil, water, medium red onion, garlic, olive oil, green lentil, long grain rice, salt, cumin, cinnamon, bay leaf, fresh parsley, lemon, greek yogurt
Provided by Andrew Ilnyckyj
Categories Dinner
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 15
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!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 473 calories, Carbohydrate 82 grams, Fat 8 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 20 grams, Sugar 8 grams
LEBANESE LENTILS, RICE AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS (MUJADARA)
Provided by Aarti Sequeira
Time 1h25m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Throw the lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, as the lentils cook, grab a large skillet. Pop it over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow the oil to warm for a minute, then drop in the cumin seeds and cracked peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan once in a while until the cumin seeds darken a touch, about 1 minute.
- Add the onions, sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. You'll know they're done both by their deep chestnut color and by the slight crispiness developing on some of the onions.
- Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, cayenne and then add the cinnamon stick; saute about 1 minute.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring often (but gently so you don't break the rice!) until some rice grains start to brown. Quickly, add the cooked lentils, 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. The water should be completely evaporated and rice should be tender. (If there's still too much water in the bottom, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)
- Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts, if using, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, about 5 minutes.
- Taste the rice for seasoning. Serve with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts, if using, and a little squeeze of lemon juice. I also like to serve this with some dollops of Greek yogurt.
RICE WITH LENTILS AND DATES
Make and share this Rice With Lentils and Dates recipe from Food.com.
Provided by pattikay in L.A.
Categories Rice
Time 2h20m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- wash and drain rice.
- heat 2 T butter and fry the onion till golden; add the meat and sauté stirring and turning the pieces till browned all over. Cover with water, add salt and pepper, cinnamon and allspice and simmer for 1 hour; or till meat is tender and most of water absorbed.
- boil the lentils in water for about 20 minutes till done, adding salt when they begin to soften, drain.
- now boil the rice in a pan for 10 minutes till not quite tender and still a little underdone. Drain the rice.
- Melt 2 T butter in bottom of pan, then stir in 2 T of the saffron water and about a third of the rice.
- spread half the meat on top, then sprinkle on half the lentils, raisins, dates and almonds if using.
- Cover with a layer of rice and remaining meat, lentils, raisins and dates and finish with the rice that is left.
- Melt the remaining butter, stir in the remaining saffron water and pour all over. Cook covered on very low heat for 20-30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 676.5, Fat 29.2, SaturatedFat 13.5, Cholesterol 80.7, Sodium 174.3, Carbohydrate 85.9, Fiber 8.5, Sugar 25, Protein 21.6
ADAS POLO - PERSIAN RICE WITH LENTILS
A delicious and hearty Iranian dish made of aromatic basmati rice, lentils, caramelized onion, raisins, and spices. Serve with chicken or lamb, or enjoy as a vegetarian dish.
Provided by Barbell Bunny
Categories Southwest Asia (middle East)
Time 1h10m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- In a large saucepan, bring salted water to a boil and simmer lentils on low for 20 - 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain water from lentils and set aside.
- In a pan, saute the onions and garlic in oil. Add raisins, dates, and spices, except saffron. Mix well and set aside.
- Cook rice as you would like. For a sure-fire way, I use my rice cooker. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add to rice cooker and cover with 2 cups water. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a drizzle of oil. Cook. Once rice is done, transfer cooked rice to a large bowl.
- In the same pot (or your rice cooker), add oil to just cover the bottom surface. Add potato slices.
- Add a layer of rice.
- Add a layer of lentil-raisin mixture.
- Continue layering, ending with a final layer of rice.
- Cover and cook (on medium heat in a pot or just hit "cook" button on your rice cooker) for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle melted butter and saffron water over your rice.
- Cover the top of your pot or rice cooker with a tea towel to prevent steam from escaping, and top with lid.
- Cook on low for 30 minutes. You want to make the potatoes crispy, so they must cook slowly. In the rice cooker, I continuously hit the cook button so this process (called tadig) can happen. It's totally worth it!
- Serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 747.5, Fat 14.9, SaturatedFat 8, Cholesterol 30.5, Sodium 702.8, Carbohydrate 141.8, Fiber 14.2, Sugar 37.3, Protein 17.3
ADAS POLOW (PERSIAN RICE AND LENTILS)
It is an Iranian food.
Provided by xxxx
Categories Main Dish Recipes Rice Beans and Rice Recipes
Time 4h35m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Place the rice in a bowl, and cover with water. Soak the rice for about 3 hours, and drain off the water. Bring the rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is partially cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain the liquid from the rice, and set the rice aside.
- Bring 2 more cups of water and a pinch of salt to a boil in a saucepan, and stir in the lentils. Bring to a boil, and cook over medium heat until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and fry the onions, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set the onions aside. Dissolve the saffron in 1/3 cup of hot water, and set aside.
- In a large nonstick pot with deep sides, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil until shimmering, and spoon in half the rice to cover the bottom of the pot. Top the rice with the lentils, and cover the lentils with the remaining rice. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is completely tender and there is a golden brown, crusty layer of rice on the bottom of the pot, about 20 minutes. Pour the saffron water over the rice and lentils, cover, and allow to cook until absorbed, about 10 more minutes.
- To serve, spoon the polow into a serving dish, and peel off and place pieces of the crusty rice layer on top of the polow. Decorate the polow with dates, raisins, and fried onions.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 537.2 calories, Carbohydrate 100.4 g, Fat 7.9 g, Fiber 17.7 g, Protein 17.7 g, SaturatedFat 1.3 g, Sodium 179.6 mg, Sugar 20.5 g
Tips:
- Use a variety of lentils. This recipe calls for green lentils, but you can use any type of lentil you like. Brown lentils, black lentils, and red lentils would all be good choices.
- Soak the lentils before cooking. This will help them cook more evenly and quickly. You can soak them for as little as 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
- Don't overcook the lentils. They should be cooked until they are tender but still hold their shape.
- Use a good quality rice. Basmati rice is a good choice for this recipe, but you can use any type of rice you like.
- Don't be afraid to add your own spices and herbs. This recipe is a great starting point, but you can add any spices or herbs you like to taste.
- Serve the rice with your favorite accompaniments. This rice dish is delicious served with yogurt, raita, or chutney.
Conclusion:
This rice with green lentils, raisins, and dates is a delicious and healthy dish that is perfect for a weeknight meal. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste. So next time you are looking for a new and exciting way to serve rice, give this recipe a try!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love