Best 5 Rice And Lentil Pilaf Indian Style Recipes

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Rice and lentil pilaf is a delectable Indian dish that combines the goodness of rice and lentils with aromatic spices and herbs. This flavorful dish is a staple in many Indian households and is often served as a main course or side dish. The combination of rice and lentils provides a perfect balance of textures, while the spices and herbs add depth and complexity to the flavor. With its easy-to-follow recipe and readily available ingredients, rice and lentil pilaf is a popular choice for both experienced cooks and beginners alike.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

LENTIL RICE PILAF WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS (MUJADARA)



Lentil Rice Pilaf with Caramelized Onions (Mujadara) image

A warm and comforting lentil rice pilaf with caramelized onions. This pilaf is known as 'mujadara' in the middle east and is vegan-friendly and perfect as a side for holidays or weeknight dinners!

Provided by Marzia

Categories     30 Minute Meals

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 10

2/3 cup brown lentils, rinsed
1 cup basmati rice
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 teaspoon of ground allspice
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon EACH: sugar AND salt

Steps:

  • prep the ingredients: Add the lentils into a small saucepan and add water until the lentils are covered by at least 2 inches. Cook the lentils over medium-high heat until almost tender, about 15-18 minutes. Drain; set aside. Soak the rice in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes while you caramelize the onions.
  • onions: Add the olive oil into a deep, thick-bottomed pot (with a lid), like a dutch oven. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Once it's hot, add the onions and stir them around to coat with the oil. Set a timer for 20 minutes and cook the onions for a total of 18-22 minutes, stirring often, or until the onions are a deep orange or brown color. If the onions start to brown before the 10-minute mark, lower the heat. Ideally, they should start developing color around 12-15 minutes. And from that point on, you'll need to stir the onions often so that they don't burn. Remove the onions to a plate lined with a paper towel.
  • rice pilaf: Drain the soaked rice thoroughly and add it to the oil remaining in the pot (if you have less than a tablespoon, add a little more). Sauté the rice in the remaining oil for 2 minutes. Add the lentils to the pot and season with the cumin, coriander, turmeric, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Add 1 1/2 cups of water and let the water come to a rolling boil, cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and let cook for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the stove. Grab a piece of paper towel large enough to cover the pot. Add the caramelized onions to the top of the rice and place the paper towel flat on the pot before placing the lid on top. Let sit for 10 minutes (your stove should be off at this point). Fluff and mix in the onions before serving.

INDIAN LENTIL PILAF



Indian Lentil Pilaf image

From the November/December 2006 Vegetarian Times. I made this without oil, and it worked great. This makes a ton.

Provided by VegSocialWorker

Categories     Lentil

Time 1h5m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 11

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and sorted
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/3 cups)
2 large carrots, diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup brown basmati rice
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp)
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 1/3 teaspoons garam masala
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
cilantro (to garnish) (optional)

Steps:

  • Bring lentils and 4 cups water to a boil in large pot or Dutch oven.
  • Reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 minutes, or until lentils are firm-tender.
  • Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water, and transfer lentils to a bowl.
  • Wipe out the pot and heat the oil over medium high. Sauté the onion in the oil 4 minutes, or until just golden.
  • Add carrots and rice and cook 3 minutes, or until rice is toasted and fragrant, stirring constantly.
  • Add garlic, ginger and garam masala and cook 1 minute more.
  • Stir in tomatoes, broth, reserved lentil water and lentils and bring to a boil.
  • Cover, reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
  • Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and cover, let stand 5 minutes.
  • Fluff with a fork, then spoon pilaf into shallow bowls, and garnish with cilantro, if desired.
  • Serve hot and enjoy.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 306.7, Fat 6.1, SaturatedFat 0.6, Sodium 170.3, Carbohydrate 52.2, Fiber 12.8, Sugar 5.4, Protein 11.8

RICE AND LENTIL PILAF - INDIAN STYLE



Rice and Lentil Pilaf - Indian Style image

This is a comfort-food that is an adaptation of a Sara Moulton recipe. Basmati rice with the added flavors of whole spices toasted in oil, with lentils and potatoes. A bit of work, but well worth the effort.

Provided by LifeIsGood

Categories     Potato

Time 1h30m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 inches cinnamon sticks
6 cardamom pods
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
2 dried red chilies
3 whole cloves
3/4 cup basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
kosher salt
2/3 cup lentils
1/2 lb potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (boiling kind, like Yukon gold or Red Bliss)
3 medium carrots, grated
fresh ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaf, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, chiles, and cloves and then cook for about a minute while stirring, until the spices become fragrant. Take the spices out of the pot and reserve. Turn the heat down to med-low and add the onion to the pan. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring once and a while, and then take the pot off the heat and set aside.
  • Rinse the rice in a colander. Once the rice is rinsed and drained, add it to the onion in the saucepan and put in the reserved spices and add the turmeric and cook over med-heat, stirring, for about 1 minute.
  • Add in 1 1/2 C water and 1/2 t salt to the mixture and bring it all to a boil over high heat. Cover the pan with a paper towel and then the lid. Let this simmer this way, over low heat, for approx.20 minutes, or until all the liquid has been soaked up. Take the pan off of the heat and set aside, leaving it covered, for approximately 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, combine the lentils, 2 C water and 1/2 t salt in a different saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat. Then put a lif on it and simmer, over low heat. for approximately 25 minutes (until the lentils get tender).
  • Now, heat the remaining 2 T vegetable oil, over medium heat, in a large nonstick skillet. Add in the potatoes and cook for approx 10 or 12 minutes, until the potatoes get a bit browned (stirring occasionally). Take the heat down to low and cook for about 5 minutes more. Then you can add the carrots to the potatoes and cook for 3 more minutes, or just until both are tender.
  • Next, you can fluff the rice with a fork and take out the bay leaf, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves and chiles. Then drain your lentils and stir them into the rice along with the potato mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste and enjoy.

INDIAN RICE PILAF



Indian Rice Pilaf image

A delicious rice dish. Guaranteed to appease the masses and make 'em say, MMMMMMMMM Give me more!!!

Provided by TIBM

Categories     Side Dish     Rice Side Dish Recipes     Pilaf

Time 30m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

¼ cup water
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup long grain rice
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon paprika
2 pinches ground cloves
1 small onion, coarsely chopped

Steps:

  • Bring water and chicken broth to a boil.
  • Combine rice, curry powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, paprika, and cloves in a bowl; stir to mix. Add spiced rice and onion to the boiling broth. Cover and cook until rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 187.6 calories, Carbohydrate 40.1 g, Cholesterol 2.3 mg, Fat 0.7 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 4.1 g, SaturatedFat 0.1 g, Sodium 440.1 mg, Sugar 1.4 g

LENTIL-AND-RICE PILAF



Lentil-and-Rice Pilaf image

The recipe for this savory side dish comes from Norm Matthews of Junction City, Kansas.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Ingredients     Pasta and Grains     Rice Recipes

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 thinly sliced onions
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 cups brown lentils
1 cup long-grain rice
3 cups reduced-sodium canned vegetable broth

Steps:

  • In a 10-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 35 to 40 minutes. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper.
  • Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, bring 5 cups water to a boil. Stir in brown lentils; reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain; rinse pan.
  • Return lentils to pan; add long-grain rice and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Cook until rice is tender and has absorbed liquid, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Scatter onions on pilaf.

Tips:

  • Always rinse the lentils and rice thoroughly before cooking to remove any impurities and excess starch. This will help prevent the pilaf from becoming mushy.
  • Soak the lentils for at least 30 minutes before cooking. This will help them cook more evenly and reduce the cooking time.
  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to cook the pilaf. This will help distribute the heat evenly and prevent the rice from sticking.
  • Do not stir the pilaf too often while it is cooking. Stirring can break up the rice and lentils and make the pilaf mushy.
  • Once the pilaf is cooked, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the rice to absorb any remaining liquid.
  • Serve the pilaf with your favorite Indian dishes, such as curry, dal, or raita.

Conclusion:

Rice and lentil pilaf is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It is a good source of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. Pilaf is also a great way to use up leftover rice and lentils. With its simple ingredients and easy preparation, rice and lentil pilaf is a perfect dish for busy weeknights or potlucks.

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