Lentils and Rice With Vegetables
A One-pot Plant-based Comfort Meal
Lentils and Rice with Vegetables | Dara O’Brien
By Dara O’Brien
Creative Director, Lake Isle Press
Am I in a perpetual state of discomfort? Is that why I am always ready for comfort food?
Well, yeah. It’s a rough world out there. I live in a busy city where a wearying menu of competing demands vies for my time, attention, and energy—and nobody has the time to check in on my feelings. Keeping up with the flow of information and developing technologies is a hamster wheel. And don’t get me started on politics and the upcoming elections.
Pass the mashed potatoes.
But it’s not just eating food that can provide solace; preparing it can do the same. Culinary therapy practitioners are literally stirring the pot to guide patients toward self-expression, illumination, and connection. So by cooking this recipe from Chef Vikas Khanna for Lentils and Rice with Vegetables, which he describes as Indian comfort food (and is from his book “Flavors First: An Indian Chef’s Culinary Journey” published by Lake Isle Press), I got a double shot of consolation.
Who knew Indian food would turn out to be a major source of comfort for this Irish girl? But then, comfort food has no single nationality. Just check your local noodle shop or trattoria.
If you review past posts from this blog you’ll see I wrote about Vikas’s Himalayan Red Rice and Vegetable Pulao last month, and I’ve also shared his recipes for curried kidney beans, brown, red, and yellow lentils, and a brown basmati dish in the past. Legumes and rice are definitely in my comfort food sweet spot.
In addition to its satisfying risotto-like texture (studded with little bursts of sturdy green lentils, which keep their bite), this recipe provides a fast and easy dose of culinary therapy Just a small amount of effort—soaking the rice and chopping the veggies—and you’re ready to go. It’s a one-pot vegan dish to boot, and can serve as a light meal or as a side dish.
I followed the directions to the letter, using vegetable oil since I was out of ghee. I didn’t lift the lid on the pot for fifteen minutes, at which time the texture was perfect and it was ready to eat. I tasted before adding the lime juice, and found that it adds a nice bright layer of flavor, so don’t skip that step.
I made the full recipe, so I had plenty of leftovers. I shared some with a colleague for lunch the next day to both of our satisfaction. Then I tried it for breakfast the following morning with a fried egg on top, and it was so good I finished off the remainders with the same breakfast for the next two days.
Preparing a fast, easy, mostly pantry-based, totally plant-based one-pot meal with plenty of leftovers that can work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner? I take comfort in that.
LENTILS AND RICE WITH VEGETABLES RECIPE
Click here for printable recipe.
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 cup basmati rice
2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon asafetida
1 cup green lentils
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
I teaspoon salt
4 cups water
½ cup coarsely chopped broccoli
1 cup cauliflower florets
½ cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
½ cup chopped carrots
Juice of 1 lime
PREPARATION
Rinse the rice with cold water to remove the excess starch; drain. Soak the rice for at least 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat the ghee or oil over medium heat in a medium pot with a lid. Add the cumin seeds and asafetida and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice, lentils, turmeric and salt and stir continuously until well mixed. Add the water, bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Add broccoli, cauliflower, peas, and carrot and stir well. Cover and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture has a thick, risotto-like consistency. With a whisk, mix the rice and stir in the lime juice. Serve hot.
Recipe from “Flavors First” by Vikas Khanna, published by Lake Isle Press, 2011
LENTILS AND RICE WITH VEGETABLES RECIPE
from “Flavors First” by Vikas Khanna, Lake Isle Press, 2011
OTHER RECIPES FROM THIS BOOK
Brown Basmati with Caramelized Onions and Broccoli
Brown Lentils and Zucchini with Lime
Cabbage and Mushrooms with Turmeric-Infused Butter
Chicken and Ricotta Cheese Curry
Chicken Tikka Masala
Dill and Cardamom Chicken
Himalayan Red Rice Vegetable Pulao
Masoor Daal
Orange-Ginger Chutney
Spring Onion and Pea Soup
Stir-Fried Potatoes with Green Beans and Mint
Sunday Kidney Bean & Tomato Curry
Sweet Eggplant Chutney
Yellow Lentils with Turmeric and Ginger
Flavors First draws from celebrated Indian Chef Vikas Khanna's culinary journey from his native India to his experience as a Michelin-starred chef in New York. With entire chapters devoted to every part of an Indian meal (even breads, chutneys, desserts and beverages) and an ingredient and spice glossary that includes tips on handling and storage, Flavors First is an indispensable resource on Indian home cooking.
“Vikas Khanna's enthusiasm for food is so intense that it practically explodes off the page. I could taste the dishes just by reading the recipes.” —Jean-Georges Vongerichten