Lentils with Rice and Celery

 

Lentils with rice is a traditional high protein dish that has different names and slightly different flavours in cultures all over the world.  In Cyprus, it is Fakes Moutzentra or in the Middle East Mujadara.  I guess here in Ireland the closest thing would be the soup mix pack that has barley and lentils or maybe in England a traditional Pease Pudding but neither of them are as tasty as lentils with rice from other parts of the world.  I became familiar with it in Paphos, Cyprus, as I spent a lot of time there when I was younger and vegetarian.  It weas always a relief to find traditional food that was cruelty free.  Maybe that’s why this dish and others that remind me of those times, like the lentils with orzo we ate night are my comfort foods.  Here is my take on it.  Easy and tasty.

 

This was easy to make in the Instant Pot and it is high in protein and tasty.  I served it with a sliced tomato, sliced radishes, a yogurt dressing made from Lidl natural Soya Yogurt with diced cucumber, garlic, salt, and window-ledge cress.  I had two onions just for me, fried in my cast iron pan until they were brown and crispy that I put on top of the lentils and rice.

The reason I needed a comfort food today was it is the first time since last year that I have not had my 13-year-old daughter with me to share food at lunchtime.  All the children have been sent back to school today even though our vaccine programme is behind schedule and there’s only a few weeks left of term.  Shout out to all the other mummies or guardians out there who are home alone today for the first time in months. 

 

Here is today’s recipe that will make 4 lunch time portions.

Lentils with Rice

1 cup of brown rice

1 cup of brown lentils

2.5 cups cold water

½ head of celery

2 bay leaves

4 cloves garlic

Dessert spoon cumin

A pinch of salt

Olive oil - optional

2 onions (at least one per son – I used two just for me and I felt spoilt!)

Yogurt Dressing

¼ pot of natural yogurt

½ cucumber

Garlic

Salt

Side salad

Tomato

Radishes

Method:

1. Rinse the lentils and rice together in water and drain.

2. Add them both to the instant Pot with cumin, bay leaves, water, salt, and sliced celery.

3. Set the Instant Pot to 23 minutes at High Pressure.

4. When this has finished, I did a Quick Pressure Release and added a little olive oil.

5. I sliced then onions thinly and fried them in a large and hot cast iron pan.

 

To plate up – and it looks lovely plated – put your lentil and rice mixture in the middle of the plate and the yogurt dressing to one side.  The tomato and radish to the other side.  The fried onions go on top.