One Perfect Bite: Curried Lentil Rice

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I stumbled on this recipe and have kept it close at hand since I first tried this rice and lentil combination. I am not a vegetarian, but with each passing year I find that I eat less and less meat. Dishes like this one make it possible to alter long term eating habits. It takes less than 15 minutes to make this dish and it is surprisingly tasty. I am not a brand ambassador for Patak products, nor have I received any remuneration for this post. It's just that I've found their curry paste works best when making this dish. They have two types, a mild and a hot. Regular readers of One Perfect Bite know that I am not a fire eater and prefer to keep the heat in my dishes to a minimum. The Patak's Mild Curry Paste works well for my purposes, but if you are a dragon and like to breathe fire, try their hot paste instead. The original recipe called for canned lentils, and they are fine if you can find them at the market. If not, you can use your own and the results will be the same. This dish works well as a side or a main dish. It is especially good with plain grilled meat or chicken and that makes it possible for those in mixed marriages, the ones where vegetarians have married carnivores, to sit at the same table and share a meal together. I hope you'll give this recipe a try. Here is how this rice and lentil dish is made.

Curried Lentil Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Simply Stacy for Patak's

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked white rice
1 (15-oz.) can lentils drained and rinsed or 2 cups cooked lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons curry paste (i.e. Patak's Mild Curry Paste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
juice of half a lemon

Directions:
1) Heat lentils in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Set aside.
2) Add olive oil to a skillet and saute onions and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, until softened.
3) In a large bowl, combine cooked rice, lentils, cooked onions and garlic, Patak’s mild curry paste, cilantro and lemon juice. Mix well. Serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.