One Pot Lentil Dahl & Rice

I adore one-pot meals. Well, technically, the husband does. I cook, and he does the dishes. Obviously, I have the better end of the deal because I love spending time in the kitchen. I try to clean as I go, but it is a rare occasion that I don’t leave the kitchen a mess by the time I’m finished.

Tonight, I kept the mess to a minimum because all of the delicious could be handled by one knife, one cutting board, and one pot. Plus, since it needed to simmer all by its lonesome for fifteen minutes, I had time to get the kitchen in order before the husband got home from grocery shopping for his grandma. It makes me feel very wifely.

I told him not to get used to it.

This was just a warm bowl of hearty, vegetarian deliciousness. The recipe couldn’t be simpler – prep your ingredients, add them one by one, stir it up, and let it simmer.

Just look at those vibrant spices – cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika, and garam masala.

In addition to the ground spices, I also used some fresh ginger, coriander seeds, and garlic to really send the flavor profile over the top. To bulk up the dish I added potato, onion, and carrot. Basmati rice and brown lentils make the dish thick and filling.

To add a hint of freshness, I stirred in a bit of chopped pipicha (yep, the same pipicha from the Poblano Chicken Tacos recipe) during the last few minutes which brought a hint of anise to the dish.

Here’s the recipe:

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. basmati rice
• 1/2 c. brown lentils
• 3 c. water
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 potatoes, diced
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. oil (I used grape seed)
• 1 Tbsp. garam masala
• 1 Tbsp. fresh pipicha, chopped
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. whole coriander seeds
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a 6-quart dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the whole coriander seeds and toast 2 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Add onions, garlic, and ginger to the pot and saute until onions become semi-translucent, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, grind coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle until they reach a coarse pepper texture.
3. Return the coriander seeds to the pan and add the garam masala, turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, salt, and paprika. Stir vigorously to allow the spices to toast without sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Add the potatoes and carrots to the pot, stir, and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and a splash of water and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables develop a glaze-like spice coating as the sugar caramelizes in the pan.
5. Add the lentils, rice, and water and bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until rice, lentils, and potatoes are cooked through and all of the water has been absorbed. Stir in the pipicha during the last few minutes and serve with a side of naan or sauteed greens.

Nutrition (per serving):

237 calories, 3 g. fat, 4 g. protein, 50 g. carbs, 3 g. fiber. WW PointsPlus: 6

Note: This dish is VERY full of spices. If you prefer something a bit more tame, I’d recommend scaling back on the whole coriander seeds (or taking them out altogether), particularly if you aren’t sure whether or not you like coriander.