Kitchri Rice

Although Kitchri rice is associated with South Asian cuisine, it is a national dish in Iraq. It has all the components of a typical Indian dish; using Basmati rice, red lentils or Urad dal and cumin, it obviously travelled to the middle East over the centuries. An easy dish to prepare, this is the ultimate comfort food, which can be eaten hot or transformed into a cold salad the following day. We serve it with grilled Kefta.

INGREDIENTS
2 Cups of Basmati Rice
3/4 Cup Red lentils
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3 1/2 Cup of boiling water
1 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CUMIN GARLIC
1/3 Cup of Olive Oil
1 Small onion or shallot, finely sliced
4 Garlic cloves, finely minced
1 Heaped teaspoon Cumin

PREPARATION
Rince the rice and lentils and drain.
In a medium size pot, add the olive oil and when hot, add the drained rice and lentils. Add the salt.
Then, add the rice and pour the boiling water. Mix well. Bring to a soft boil and when it starts boiling, lower the heat to low.
Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, mince the onion and mince the garlic. In a small pan, add the olive oil and saute the onion and garlic, until brown on the edges.
When the rice is cooked, pour the onion/garlic mixture and using a fork, mix gently.
Serve with a tomato and coriander salad and like us, with a kefte and a yogurt sauce.