Coconut Curry Rice & Lentil Soup

Adapted from Bal's Quick and Healthy Indian

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30-45 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp grapeseed oil

1tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp Garam Masala (this time I used a mellow Kashmiri masala from Epices de Cru)

1 tsp ginger masala (see bottom for recipe)

8-10 fresh/frozen curry leaves

2-3 leeks, white & light green parts only, coarsely chopped

6 cups lamb broth (or vegetable broth for a vegetarian version)

1 cup brown rice (uncooked)

1 cup split red lentils (masoor dhal)

1 cup coconut milk

1 can (19oz/411ml) fire roasted diced tomatoes and their juice

1 beet, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 bunch beet greens, coarsely chopped

Shredded lamb from lamb stock prep (optional)

1 green chili, seeded and finely chopped (I used the Jalapeno pepper I had in the fridge)

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped for garnish

Directions

1. Heat the oil in large Dutch oven or pot over medium high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the cumin, garam & ginger masala and curry leaves.  Sauté for 10-15 seconds, until fragrant and then add the leeks and sauté for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot (except the cilantro leaves) and bring to a boil.  

3.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered until the rice and lentils are tender (about 30 minutes or so).

4.  Taste for seasoning.  If you’re like my Honey, who likes his soup thick, continue to cook uncovered until it’s the consistency you like.   I added a dried red chili pepper at this stage for more heat.

Serve in soup bowls and sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.   Great with Naan bread.

Ginger Masala

Makes ½ cup

Ingredients:

¼ cup ground cumin

2 tbsp ground coriander

2 tbsp ground ginger

1 tbsp garam masala

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Directions:

Combine everything in a bowl.  Store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.

Chile Rice

FromThe Complete Whole Grains Cookbook

Printable Recipe


Hands on time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1hour

Resting time: 5 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled & thinly sliced, vertically

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh gingerroot, peeled and minced or grated

1-2 long red or green chile peppers, seeded & minced (I used 1 Fresno pepper – a bit like Jalapeno - next time I'll be more adventurous - it was delicious, but sweet rather than spicy)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

1 cup brown basmati or long grain rice (I mixed it up a bit with some Lundberg Countrywild blend of wild rices)

1 can (28oz/796ml) no salt added diced tomatoes with juice (I used fire roasted for even more flavor)

1 cup water

½ cup fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan with a tight fitting lid, heat the oil over medium high heat for 30 seconds and add the sliced onion.  Stir and cook until well browned (about 10 minutes). 

2.  Add the garlic, ginger, chile pepper, bay leaves, cumin and cook, stirring for one minute.

3.  Add the rice, toss until coated with seasonings.  Stir in the tomatoes with their juice and the cup of water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about one hour or until the rice is tender.  

4.  Remove from heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and garnish with parsley.

The Best Garlicky Rice Ever

From Every Kitchen Tells Its Stories

Don’t be scared off by the amount of garlic. This is the sweetest, buttery-est rice you will ever try

Printable Recipe

Hands-on time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter
8 cloves garlic, minced - This is not a typo!
1 large onion, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped or grated (½ cup)
2 cups plain white raw rice, preferably Italian, well rinsed & drained
4 cups chicken stock

Directions
1. In large skillet, melt butter and cook carrot and onion until golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic now so it will be aromatic. If you cook garlic in step 1 with onion mixture it will become bitter.

3. Add rice to the pan with an additional tbsp of butter if needed. Stir to coat the rice.

4. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

5. Remove from heat, fluff/stir gently with a fork. Re-cover and let rest for 5 minutes or so.

It’s perfect for BBQ suppers and cold winter nights. I love it with grilled steaks and chicken. And I love it even more with slow cooked roasts.

Aloo Gobhi Ki Tahiri - fragrant rice with potatoes & cauliflower

From How to Cook Indian: More Than 500 Classic Recipes for the Modern Kitchen
(Unfortunately the photo got deleted. Yet another reason to make it again)

Printable Recipe
Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 cup rice (I used basmati)
3 cups water
2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1” piece of a cinnamon stick
1 cardamom pod (book calls for black, but I used the green I had on hand)
4 whole black peppercorns
4-5 whole cloves
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into small cubes ( ½” pieces)
½ medium cauliflower, separated into small florets
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp red chili powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp garam masala (I used the awesome Kashmiri Garam Masala from Epices de Cru)
2 cups HOT water

Directions:
1. Put the rice in a large bowl and rinse with lots of water 2-3 times. Drain and then add 3 cups of water to the rice. Soak for 20 minutes and drain in a colander.

2. In a medium-sized pot, over medium heat, add the ghee or oil. When small bubbles appear at the bottom of the pot, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorns and cloves. Sauté for 1 minute or until fragrant.

3. Add the potato and cauliflower and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the drained rice, turmeric, chile powder, garam masala & salt and stir. Add the 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Chicken & Chickpea Pilaf

Chicken & Chickpea Pilaf
From Everyday Easy: One Pot

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:
Pinch of saffron threads
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 6 thighs, cut into small pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 large garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
1 ¼ cups long grain rice
2 ½ cups hot chicken stock
2 bay le3aves
1 can (15oz/420g) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup raisins (Ruth’s note: the book called for golden raisins, but all I had was Thomas – worked fine)
½ cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
3 tbsp Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Crumble saffron threads into a small bowl, add 2 tbsp boiling water and set aside for at least 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large saucepan (I used my Dutch oven) over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sprinkle with coriander and cumin. Toss to coat and cook the chicken in batches, if necessary, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes. The chicken should be mostly cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add the remaining oil to the pot and heat. Add the onion, red pepper and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are soft, stirring often.

3. Stir in the rice, return the chicken and any juices to the pot and stir in the hot stock, saffron and its liquid, plus the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add the drained chickpeas and raisins. Stir and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the rice is tender. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes.

4. Transfer to a warm platter and serve hot, sprinkled with almonds and parsley.

Fancy Thai Fried Rice with Shrimp

Fancy Thai Fried Rice with Shrimp
From Basic Thai Cooking

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes -plus 20 minutes to steam the rice much earlier in the day or, even better, the day before) This is a great dish for using left over steamed rice.
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp fresh ginger root, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 shallots (preferably Asian), chopped
Options: chicken fillets, beef slices, shrimp, tofu….list is endless and simply up to your imagination, but Jody uses 10oz/280g each shrimp, firm white fish like cod or monkfish, and calamari cut into thin strips
1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp Thai fish sauce
4 cups cooked Jasmine rice
1 tomato, chopped
4 Spring/green onions/scallions, sliced
3 oz/100g bean sprouts
3 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
3 tbsp fresh Thai basil (if you can find it), chopped (Note: another alternative is fresh mint or regular basil)
1 long red chili pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
Soy sauce, to serve

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a large non stick skillet or wok over medium high heat. Stir fry the ginger, garlic and shallots for 2 minutes. Add the chicken, fish, tofu or beef, or any other option you choose and stir fry 2-3 minutes longer. .

2. Add the rice, tomato and green onions and stir fry another 2 minutes. Add the bean sprouts, cilantro, Thai basil and chill and toss for 1 minute.

Serve immediately with soy sauce

Pakistani Chickpea & Rice Pilaf - Chana Pulao

Pakistani Chickpea & Rice Pilaf – Chana Pulao
From Curry Cuisine

Printable Recipe

Rice-soaking time: 1-2 hours
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total Cooking Time: 45-80 minutes

Serves 4-6 (Ruth’s note: I used brown basmati which is why there’s such a time discrepancy and less rice than called for with lots of leftovers – my quantities are in brackets)

Ingredients:
1 ¼ lb/500g basmati rice (I used 1 cup brown long grain rice)
½ cup sunflower oil (I used 2 tbsp grape seed oil)
1 large onion, very thinly sliced
1 tsp fresh gingerroot, thinly sliced and slivered
3 cinnamon sticks (I used only 2 since I used much less rice)
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 cardamom pods (I used 2)
Salt to taste
4oz/115g dried chickpeas, soaked overnight & cooked until tender or (my choice) 1 tin (14oz/400g) chickpeas, drained
Fried Brown Onion Garnish: (for my smaller dish, I just set some of the fried onion slices from the recipe aside for garnish)
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced

Directions:
Rice soaking:
Thoroughly wash rice in cold running water. Soak in a bowl with enough water to cover for at least one hour. Drain.
Pilao
1. Heat the oil over medium high heat, in a medium to large saucepan, add the onions and fry until golden brown. ( I set some aside for garnish) Add the ginger, spices and salt to taste stir for a minute or until you can smell the wonderful aromas. Add 3 cups of water (I only added 2 cups because I only used 1 cup of rice) and bring to a boil. Add the soaked, drained rice, chickpeas and cover the pot. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes (the rice should be 90 per cent cooked – brown rice takes a little longer).

2. Dampen a clean, thick dishtowel with water. Remove the lid from the saucepan. Cover with cloth and put the lid back on tightly. Set the heat to very low. Cook for 25-30 minutes. (If you’re using brown rice, it might need a little more time).

I served it with Pakistani Lamb & Tomato Curry.

Lebanese Molokhai with Rice & Chicken

Lebanese Molokhai with Rice & Chicken

Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 30 minutes (includes time to cook rice)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Rice (1 cup rice – I like Basmati, 6 cups water for open pot cooking) makes 3 cups cooked rice
Cooked chicken, cut into chunks or shredded ( 1 cup per person – I used the meat from 2 chicken breasts)

Molokhia: you can substitute spinach but it won’t have quite the same flavor
2 cups chicken broth
1 pkg (14oz/400g) frozen minced molokhia
1 tbsp butter
5-6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Lebanese 7 Spices mix – allspice, cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, ginger, clove & nutmeg (or the package of molokhai suggests ground coriander)

Directions:
1. In a medium sauce pan or pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the frozen molokhia (I actually used the microwave to at least soften it enough to cut the block into four) and stir from time to time until completely defrosted and incorporated into the soup.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the garlic. Cook until fragrant (2 minutes or so).

3. Stir the garlic butter into the soup, add the seasonings and stir. Cook for another 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.

To serve:
One suggestion is to serve the soup with the rice and soup on the side. Another ( Tony at Gourmet Cash & Carry) is to serve on a platter with rice on the bottom, and soup and chicken over top.

It’s very mellow and has a distinct flavor. The texture of the molokhia is slightly slimy, so for the uninitiated, I suggest pouring some over the rice rather than eating separately. But experiment and have fun.

Indu's Dal & Rice

Indu’s Dal & Rice

Serves 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes for rice & dal plus 5 -10 minutes to prepare the dish.

Ingredients:
1 cup Masoor dal (orange lentils) or Tuvar dal (yellow lentils) (found in many regular grocery stores and certainly your local Asian markets)
1 cup uncooked rice (I like Basmati) follow the recipe on the package. For firmer rice use the open pot method - much like cooking pasta. Drain when the rice is al dente.
2 cloves garlic
½” piece of fresh ginger, skin scraped off
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped (you can use canned tomatoes – about ½ cup)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp red chili powder (or more if you like it spicy)
Pinch of turmeric
Pinch of salt
Garnish: fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1.Soak dal/lentils for half an hour in 4 cups of water (enough to cover the dal).

2. Pressure cook the dal until it becomes really soft (after 3-5 whistles, it should comfortably mash between the fingers). If you don’t have a pressure cooker (like me), cook it in sufficient water over a medium heat until the dal becomes really soft. It could take as much as 25 minutes on the stove.

3. Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, make a fine paste of the garlic and ginger, using a little water. (My daughter does hers in her food processor) This could be replaced by 1 spoon of ginger/garlic paste

4. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet on medium heat.

5. Add the mustard and cumin seeds. Allow to sizzle and pop. It really just takes a minute or so.

6. Add the ginger garlic paste, and stir well for another minute or until fragrant.

7. Add the onions, allow them to brown (3-5 minutes) and add tomatoes, and cook for couple of minutes to capture all the other flavors.

8.Add salt to taste, garam masala (available at South Asian stores), red chili powder for making it a tad bit spicy (as much or as little as you prefer), and a pinch of turmeric powder for colour. Stir and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.

9. Add the cooked dal and water and bring to a boil. It should be quite thick (think of your favorite pureed soup). If it's too thin add a tsp of rice flour; if it's too thick, add a little water.

Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro leaves and serve with rice.

Bonnie's Chicken Fattah

Bonnie’s Chicken Fattah
From Bonnie Stern Friday Night Dinners

This is a fantastic winter meal. It looks complicated but, trust me, it's really quite a simple meal to put together. The only thing to really consider is that the rice is brown and so needs 40-45 minutes to cook. All that means is you put the Mujedrah (rice & lentils) up about an hour before serving and then work on the other elements which are really quick to prepare and can be done sequentially.

Since there are 4 elements to this dish I’m going to give time guidelines separately.

Serves 8-10 ( I made this dish for the two of us, and wanted leftovers, so I used 4 chicken breasts, half the mujedrah and all the tahina and tomato sauces.)

Mujedrah:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes

Chicken:
Bonnie suggests grilling or roasting for 30-40 minutes but my grill pan had the chicken done in less than 20 (actually about 6 minutes per side…it is boneless, after all and I used white meat)
So…
Prep time: 5 minutes
Resting/marinating time: 5 – 30 minutes (really just while you’re getting the sauce ready)
Cooking time: 15-40 minutes, depending on how you do it.

Moroccan Tomato Sauce:
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Tahina Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
Mujedrah
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced (the food processor with a thin slicing blade cuts down on the crying)
2 cups mixed brown rice, rinsed
1 cup green lentils, rinsed
5 cups water
2 tsp kosher salt (sounds like a lot, but I cut it in half and needed to add more at the end)

Chicken:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp sumac (if you can’t find it, Bonnie suggests grated lemon peel)
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
4lb/2kg boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Moroccan Tomato Sauce:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin, toasted (just sauté in a dry non-stick skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. It’s ready when you can smell the aroma)
Aleppo pepper (Bonnie called for a pinch, I used a tsp…so it all depends on you. Red chili pepper flakes work too)
1 tin (28oz/796ml) plum tomatoes with juices, pureed or chopped (I used Muir’s fire roasted tomates)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper to taste

Tahina Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 cup tahina
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup water
½ tsp hot red pepper sauce (I actually just used more ground Aleppo pepper. I loved the look of the flecks of red in the beige)

Garnish:
3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Directions:
Mujedrah
1. Heat oil in a large deep skillet (I actually used my Dutch oven) over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook for 15-20 minutes or until very brown, with some of the onions slightly blackish in places. Remove half the onions from the pan and reserve.

2. Add rice to the onions in the pan and cook for a few minutes to coat them in the onion, oil mixture. Add the lentils, water, and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and lower the heat. Cook gently for 40-45 minutes or until tender. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Moroccan Tomato Sauce:
1. While the Mujedrah is cooking, take a large deep skillet, preferably non-stick for easier cleanup, and heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook gently for about 5 minutes until soft but not browned…and watch the garlic which can burn if the pan is too hot.

2. Add cumin and Aleppo pepper or chili pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds or so…you’ll get that lovely cumin aroma. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, uncovered for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is thick. Season with honey, lemon juice and salt & pepper if necessary.

Tahina Sauce:
1. Combine everything in a food processor and pulse until smooth (a minute or two). Taste for seasoning.

Chicken:
1. Combine oil, salt, sumac and garlic in a small bowl. Rub into chicken (I actually did this before starting the rice to act as a marinade of sorts). Grill or roast chicken (400°F/200°C) until cooked through and no longer pink. I used a grill pan on top of the stove and cooked the chicken breasts for 5-6 minutes per side.

To assemble the dish:
Spread Mujedrah on a large platter. Top with chicken and spoon the tomato sauce over it. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and pine nuts and drizzle with tahina sauce.

Saffron Rice with Toasted Almonds & Barberries

Saffron Rice with Toasted Almonds & Barberries

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes or so
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1½ cups water
1 tsp saffron, crumbled
1 cup basmati rice
¼ cup barberries (also called Zereshk – think Middle Eastern cranberries, but smaller and more tart)
¼ cup toasted almond slices
1 tbsp fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, finely chopped (fresh mint would work too)

Directions:

1. Heat the water with the saffron in a medium saucepan over medium high heat until it comes to a boil. Add the rice, stir and allow to return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and cover for about 15 minutes. Add the barberries, quickly toss with a fork and taste for doneness. The rice should be a hard in the core and there still should be a little water in the bottom of the pan. Continue to cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. If the bottom was dry at 15 minutes, add a little more water.

2. In the meantime, using a small non-stick skillet, toast the almond slices over medium heat just until the edges brown (about 4-5 minutes).

3. Transfer the rice to a serving bowl, add the parsley and almonds, toss and taste for seasonings. Depending on what I’m serving it with, I might add a squirt of lemon juice.

It tastes great with Spanish Shrimp in Garlic.

Fool Proof Oven Baked Brown Rice

Foolproof Oven Baked Brown Rice
From Cook’s Illustrated Magazine, June 2004

Hands on time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour or until tender
Standing time: 10 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups long, medium or short grain brown rice
2 1/3 cups water
2 tsp butter or vegetable oil
½ tsp salt

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/180°C and butter a 8”x8” glass baking dish. Place the rack in the center of the oven.

2. Spread the rice in the baking dish.

3. Bring the water and butter/oil to a boil, covered in a medium saucepan over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, immediately stir in the salt and pour over the rice.

4. Cover the dish tightly with doubled layer of foil and bake for 1 hour or until tender.

5. Remove the baking dish from the oven and uncover. Fluff the rice with a fork, cover the dish with a clean dish towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Uncover and let it stand for an additional 5 minutes.