Egyptian-Style Oven-Cooked Rice

• 500 ml water
• 180 g chopped onions (approx. 2 onions)
• 80 g sun-dried tomato purée
• 0.5 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 pinch of allspice
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 150 g semi-milled basmati rice
• 50 g green lentils
• 265 g drained cooked chickpeas
• 4 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander
• 1 jar of spicy tomato sauce
• 75 g cherry tomatoes (approx. 5 tomatoes)
• For the crispy shallots:
• 230 g shallots (approx. 6 shallots)
• Frying oil

#weeknightdinner #healthy #cookware

1. Soak the lentils in warm water for an hour. Drain then rinse.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

3. Pour the water into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

4. Peel and chop the onion.

5. Heat the pot with a little olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and brown them for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

6. Add the sun-dried tomato paste, spices, rice and lentils then stir. Pour in the water. Bring to the boil. When it starts to simmer, place the pot in the oven with the lid on for 20 to 25 minutes. Keep checking the pot as the cooking time may vary depending on your oven.

7. For the crispy shallots: Heat the frying oil in a saucepan 3 cm high. Peel and chop the shallots. Once the oil is hot (180° C), immerse the shallots in the oil, stirring to ensure they fry evenly and cook for around 4 minutes. Once they have started to brown, remove from the oil and place on absorbent paper, then leave to cool completely.

8. Remove the rice from the oven and fluff it up a little with a fork. This will ensure that the rice is cooked to perfection! Add the drained cooked chickpeas and stir. Season. Put on the lid and leave to rest for 3 minutes.

9. Serve with the crispy shallots, some chopped fresh coriander and accompanied with the spicy tomato sauce. Garnish with the halved cherry tomatoes.