Ingredients
Method
- 250 g brown lentils, briefly soaked and rinsed
- 3 large onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 200 g basmati rice
- 1 1⁄2 t ground cumin
- 1 t ground coriander
- 1⁄2 t ground allspice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 200 g Swiss chard, trimmed, roughly shredded and rinsed
- For serving:
- Thick Greek yoghurt
- Free-range eggs, hard-boiled and halved
- Hot sauce
Method
Ingredients
Simmer the lentils in enough water to cover generously for 15 minutes, or until just soft. Drain and set aside.
Fry the onions in the oil in a heavy-based saucepan, stirring fairly often and adding more oil if necessary, for about 15 minutes, or until dark caramel brown.
Remove half the onions, drain on kitchen paper, season with a little salt and keep for garnishing.
Add the garlic to the onions in the pot and a little more oil if necessary. Add the rice and stir for a minute or so. Add the spices until well mixed. Stir in the reserved lentils and 2 1⁄2 cups water. Add 1 t salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a bubble, then reduce the heat and cover. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Uncover, add the chard and cover again for 5 minutes, or until the chard is just wilted and the rice tender. Moisten the chard with a little olive oil and check the seasoning.
Turn onto a platter and top with the reserved fried onions. If you like, serve with Greek yoghurt, hardboiled eggs, hot sauce, or all of them.
Cook's note: This is a deliciously comforting Middle Eastern dish. If you don’t mind using an extra pot, deep-fry the onions separately for a crispier result. You could also cook the lentils with the rice – but bear in mind you’ll need more water.
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