Red Lentil Pilaf Food

LENTIL RICE PILAF WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS (MUJADARA)

Steps:

• prep the ingredients: Add the lentils into a small saucepan and add water until the lentils are covered by at least 2 inches. Cook the lentils over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 15-18 minutes. Drain; set aside. Soak the rice in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes while you caramelize the onions.
• onions: Add the olive oil into a deep, thick-bottomed pot (with a lid), like a dutch oven. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the onions and stir them around to coat with the oil. Set a timer for 20 minutes and cook the onions for a total of 18-22 minutes, stirring often, or until the onions are a deep orange or brown color. If the onions start to brown before the 10-minute mark, lower the heat. Ideally, they should start developing color around 12-15 minutes. And from that point on, you'll need to stir the onions often so that they don't burn. Remove the onions to a plate lined with a paper towel.
• rice pilaf: Drain the soaked rice thoroughly and add it to the oil remaining in the pot (if you have less than a tablespoon, add a little more). Sauté the rice in the remaining oil for 2 minutes. Add the lentils to the pot and season with the cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and let the water come to a rolling boil, cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the stove. Grab a piece of paper towel large enough to cover the pot. Add the caramelized onions to the top of the rice and place the paper towel flat on the pot before placing the lid on top. Let sit for 10 minutes (your stove should be off at this point). Fluff and mix in the onions before serving.

HERBED BULGUR-LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Place lentils and 2 cups broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender and most liquid is dissolved, about 30 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid. While lentils are cooking, place bulgur and remaining 2 cups chicken broth in another small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until most liquid is dissolved and bulgur is tender, about 13 to15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Add the bulgur to the lentils.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add peppers and cook until peppers are tender, another 5 minutes. Add the onion mixture to bulgur-lentil mixture. Stir in parsley, basil, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to incorporate.

QUINOA AND LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring, until tender and just beginning to color, 5 to 8 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, another 30 seconds to a minute. Add remaining oil and stir in quinoa and lentils. Add herbs and pepper, stir together, taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and serve, adding a squeeze of lemon to each serving.

CURRIED RICE PILAF WITH RED LENTILS

Steps:

• In a medium sauce pan with a tight fitting lid, heat oil over medium high heat.
• Add onion, garlic and ginger and sauté for three minutes.
• Add dry rice and dry lentils and sauté for two minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium and add fresh tomato, garam masala and curry paste and stir and cook for one minute.
• Add cilantro, coconut milk and water and raise heat to high.
• Bring to a boil, cover and lower heat to low.
• Cook covered for 20 minutes.
• Remove from heat and add salt and pepper, stir and let sit covered for five minutes.
• Serve with additional chopped cilantro.

BULGUR & LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils& put in a pot with enough broth to cover.
• Add bay leaf, bring to a boil& keep covered.
• Turn off heat& let stand for 30 minutes.
• While the lentils are soaking, melt margarine in a heavy pot.
• Add chopped onion, salt& pepper.
• Saute till onions are tender& transparent.
• When onions are ready, keep heat at medium, stir in bulgur& continue stirring till all the margarine is absorbed.
• Lower heat to a simmer& add the rest of the broth& lentils in their broth.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat again, cover tightly& simmer till all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Add more liquid till the bulgur& lentils are cooked.
• Remove bay leaf& serve.

BARLEY AND RED LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Heat oil in large pot and add mustard seeds.
• Cook 60 seconds or till they start to pop.
• Add onions and garlic - cook till soft.
• Stir in ground coriander and turmeric - cook one minute more.
• Add barley and stir till well coated.
• Add stock, bring to the boil.
• Simmer on low for 25 minutes, stir occassionally.
• Add red lentils and simmer for another 20 minutes.
• Add cauliflower and peas and cook about 10 minutes till vegetables are tender and nearly all liquid is absorbed.
• Fluff the grains with a fork.
• Stir through coriander and season to taste.

LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• In a saucepan, brown shallot in oil. Add lentils and stir well. Add chicken stock and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Cover and let simmer at low heat about 45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Add more stock is needed. Drain if needed. Add salt and pepper at the end of cooking. Remove bay leaf.
• You'll need half this recipe to do the Vegetable Lentil Cream/Soup.

RED LENTIL, QUINOA, AND FLAXSEED PILAF

Steps:

• Rinse and drain lentils and quinoa separately. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add quinoa and flaxseeds; cook and stir about 5 minutes or until quinoa is lightly browned.
• Add lentils and chicken broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in sweet pepper and snipped or dried thyme. Cover and cook about 5 minutes more or until quinoa and lentils are tender. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. If desired, garnish with thyme sprigs.

LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Clean the lentils with fresh cold water to avoid foaming when cooking.
• Mix 2 cups of lentils with the 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of salt.
• Heat on high, uncovered for approximately 30 minutes, mixing slightly every 10 minutes, removing any foam that may have come up.
• After the lentils turn tender and soft (not melted), make sure there is only about 2 cups of water remaining (add or remove water).
• Add the half cup of rice. Cook for 10 mins at medium fire.
• Simultaneously with the rice, fry the chopped cup of onion in the olive oil and vegetable oil until golden brown (should be about 10 minutes).
• After the 10 minutes pass, slowly pour the oil and onion over the lentils and rice. Lower the heat to Low, and let it lay for 10 minutes (do NOT mix).
• After the 10 minutes pass, add the quarter cup of vinegar and mix everything.
• Cover with a thick clean kitchen towel and leave covered for about 10 minutes.
• After the 15 minutes pass, you should have a thick pilaf of lentils and rice, with onions showing up here and there.

CHICKEN WITH KALE AND FREEKEH-LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• For vinaigrette:
• Stir cumin in a small dry skillet over medium heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add vinegar and garlic. Let stand for 30 seconds. Transfer to a blender; add oil and next 3 ingredients. Purée. Season with salt.
• For pilaf and chicken:
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Season chicken with salt. Working in 2 batches and adding 1 tablespoon oil between batches, cook chicken in single layers until browned on both sides and just cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Remove pan from heat; add 1/4 cup water. Stir, scraping up browned bits. Whisk in 1/4 cup vinaigrette. Scrape sauce into a bowl.
• Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook until just beginning to brown, 1-2 minutes. Discard garlic. Working in 3 batches and adding more oil as needed, add kale to skillet and toss until wilted, 1-2 minutes per batch. Transfer to a large bowl. Season lightly with salt. Cover to keep warm.
• Add freekeh and lentils to same skillet. Increase heat; stir until warm, 2-3 minutes.
• Spoon pilaf onto plates. Top with chicken. Whisk juices from plate with chicken into sauce; drizzle over chicken and pilaf. Top with kale.

RED LENTIL PILAF

Steps:

• Combine the veggies in a heavy frying pan.
• Cook for about 5 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly, until the green onion wilts Add the lentils, chicken broth, and garlic.
• Stir.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the cayenne pepper and parsley.
• Take care not to overcook, the lentils should have a crunch.