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One Pot Lentils and Rice Bowl with Spinach Yogurt

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Easy, ready in under 30 mins Lentil & rice bowl is the perfect healthy doable meatless weeknight meal. Serve with spinach yogurt and a fresh tomato-onion salad for a complete meal.

One Pot Lentils and Rice Bowl with Spinach Yogurt

This meal.

I grew up eating all sorts of different combinations of lentils & rice. This version of rice & lentils is from western state of India and I came to know about this once I met Jerry and started cooking. Called as “ek top na dal bhat” which in english implies as one pot lentils & rice. It is one of my favorite meals to throw together when I am running short on time (which is all the time these days!) and still crave something nourishing yet delicious.

These days I am all about quick and easy meals. Remember that 30 min parmesan tilapia or 30 mins broccoli pasta? These sort of easy meals rule my kitchen these days and I can’t be happier. I wonder how women with kids and work handle all together?! I mean seriously somebody tell me your secret?! I have no kid yet but still I am always so short of time. I wish each day was 48 hours long instead.

dal rice

If you feel like me then atleast making this will save you some time and you can still guarantee to have a delicious healthy meal on the table in time for dinner!

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One Pot Lentils & Rice Bowl With Spinach Yogurt
 
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Ingredients
  • ⅔ cup basmati rice
  • ½ cup yellow lentils (split pigeon peas)
  • 1 tbsp ghee or any other cooking oil
  • 1 small piece of cinnamon stick (around 2")
  • 3 small bay leaves
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • Salt to taste
Spinach Yogurt
  • ¾ cup yogurt ( I used 2% fat content)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 cups loosely packed spinach, blanched and chopped
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • salt to taste
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
Tomato & Onion Salad
  • 1 tomato chopped
  • ¼ red onion, chopped
  • salt & red chili powder to taste
Instructions
Lentil & Rice bowl
  1. Wash lentils and rice separately with water and keep aside.
  2. If using a pressure cooker, add oil. Once hot add cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves and cook for few minutes until fragrant. Now add washed and drained lentils and stir around. To it add all the spices and stir around for a min or two until all the spices get cooked through. Now add the washed rice and stir around. Add 2.5 cups of water and tasteand adjust spices if needed. Close the lid and let it cook on medium-low. Let it whistle 3-4 times and turn off the gas. Keep it aside and when cool enough to open, open the lid and serve.
  3. If using a pot, add oil. Once hot add cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves and cook for few minutes until fragrant. Now add washed and drained lentils and stir around. To it add all the spices and stir around for a min or two until all the spices get cooked through. Now add the washed rice and stir around. Add 2.5 cups of water and taste adjust spices if needed. Bring it to a boil and let it simmer by covering the pot. Keep an eye so that it doesn't stick at the bottom. Once water is all evaporated, check for doneness. Add more water if there is still a bite to rice and lentils. When fully cooked and all the water evaporated, serve.
Spinach Yogurt
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add spinach and blanch for a minute. Drain and rinse the spinach under cold water. Squeeze out all the water from the spinach. Chop it in fine pieces. Now take a small pot and add oil. One hot add cumin seeds and let them pop. Once they start to pop, take them off the heat and keep aside. In a bowl, add yogurt and stir around to make it smooth. To it add spinach, cumin oil and salt and red chili powder. Mix everything and taste and adjust seasoning.
  2. For tomato & onion salad, I simply chopped onion & tomato and added salt and red chili powder.
Notes
You can prepare this meal ahead of time and simply serve lentils & rice before serving. Keep spinach yogurt chilled.
Make tomato & onion salad just before serving.

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