Lentil Pilaf: Recipe

Lentils are another staple in my kitchen when compared to other types of dried beans, lentils are relatively quick and easy to prepare. They are very versatile and can absorb a variety of wonderful flavors from other foods and seasonings. Lentils are high in nutritional value and are available throughout the year.

Lentils are legumes. Like other beans and legumes they grow in pods that contain either one or two lentil seeds that are round, oval or heart-shaped disks and are oftentimes smaller than the tip of a pencil eraser.

You may find them in specialty stores and major supermarkets; they may be sold whole or split into halves with the brown and green varieties being the best at retaining their shape after cooking.

The video will show you how to make dhal, while the recipe below is for a lentil pilaf.

Lentil Pilaf:

Ingredients:

This dish is traditionally served with roast lamb.

1 cup dried lentils

2 cups water

Sea salt

2 ½ cups chicken broth or you can sued a canned broth

1 cup long grain converted rice

4 shallots chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped.

Preparation;

1. Pick over lentils, discard any foreign material.

2. Rinse and drain

3. Bring 2 cups of water to boil in saucepan add 1 tsp sea salt

4. Add lentils and cook 3 minutes, drain

5. In the same pot, bring chicken broth to a boil

6. reduce heat to low and add lentils and the rice

7. Season with sea salt and stir

8. Cover pan and simmer for 20 minutes, or until lentils and rice are tender and liquid is absorbed

9. In frying pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and cook the shallots and celery until soft, do not brown

10. Add celery and shallots to rice and lentil mix

11. Fluff with a fork over a medium heat

12. Season to taste.

Lentils store readily in a cool and dry place and can be purchased in bulk. They are an inexpensive addition to your food supply and may be prepared in a variety of ways. You can add them to stews, just a handful, as long as they are pre-soaked, and drained before doing so, they will need about 20 minutes cooking time used this way.

You can also buy canned lentils which will save you some time when it comes to food preparation, just remember to rinse them twice before using them in your recipe.