Tasty Mud

or maybe it looks more like tasty compost? or something you'd repave a road with? But it sure is a)easy to make b)super tasty, and c)good for you. it's just not going to win any awards for presentation, that's for sure.

adapted from a recipe in Jacqueline Clark's Mediterranean cookbook. I'll admit, when i first got this cookbook, it intimidated me. but just start with an easy recipe, and go from there! Piece of pie! Ok, so Clark calls this Egyptian Rice, which is a much prettier name than Tasty Mud. Also, her photo looked much prettier than what i ended up with.

1 cup brown/green lentils
water
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, one diced, once thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup rice
1 and 1/4 cup water
1 tsp cinammon
1/2 tbsp ground cumin
salt & pepper
parsley to garnish (optional)

put lentils in a sauce pan with enough water to cover by about an inch. bring a boil, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes, or until they are tender. pour the lentils in a bowl, and remove any excess liquid. heat the olive oil in the pan, add the diced onion, cook till soft. near the end of the cooking, put the garlic in. add the lentils back in, with all the spices and some salt & pepper. stir in the rice, and water. bring to a boil, cover and simmer until rice is cooked, stirring occasionally. in a small frying pan, fry the sliced onions in some olive oil till very dark. pour the lentil/rice mixture into a serving bowl, put the fried onion slices on top, and garnish with parsley.

Serves four.

i took leftovers to work, somewhat worried that the cinnamony-lentilly scent could put some people off. . .and as soon as i took my bowl out of the microwave, two people immediatly said "that smells really good! What is it!" and it did smell good! And it tasted even better! and part of the magic of lentils is they keep you filling full all afternoon.

minimal book news, i'm still getting used to being home from work at a normal time. I did keep a promise to myself, and got James Fenimore Coopers The Last of the Mohicans from the library. Although slow so far, it's a pleasant read. it's been years since i read a classic, it'll do me some good.