Ingredients
80g butter
1 cup basmati rice
1 cup Puy lentils
soaked for an hour or two, then drained
2 bay leaves
3 cloves garlic
chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger
finely grated
1 or 2 whole dried chillies
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsps cumin powder
2 tsps coriander powder
750ml cold water
(3 cups)
1 handful chopped spring greens
like English spinach, rocket or baby kale
2 onions
peeled and sliced
250g smoked fish
flaked into bite size pieces
4 hard boiled eggs
peeled and quartered
1 tsp parsley
chopped
lemon wedges
to serve
Equipment
- 1 heavy based saucepan
- 1 frying pan
Instructions
- Melt half the butter in a heavy based saucepan. Add the rice, lentils, bay leaves, garlic, ginger, chilli and spices and stir, cooking until fragrant.
- Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Leave to cook for 30 minutes or until the rice and lentils are done. You may need to add a little more water if it’s looking dry, but don’t remove the lid too often.
- When the rice and lentils are tender, remove from heat, throw in the chopped greens and cover for a few minutes to wilt.
- Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a frying pan and cook the onions over a medium heat until they are golden brown, then set aside.
- To the rice mixture add the fish, eggs and parsley and gently fold through. Season to taste, then add some extra butter if you like.
- Top each serving with the fried onions. Serve with lemon wedges and your favourite chutney.
Notes
Tip
Use whatever smoked fish you can get your hands on. Make sure it’s hot smoked though, so you get those lovely flakes of fish through your rice.
Tip
I recommend serving this with tomato chutney.
Variation
You can easily skip the fish altogether for a vegetarian version.
Variation
You could even try tinned tuna.
