Brown Rice Lentils Spinach Curry

Description:

Substituted apple juice for the oil in the original recipe, but have noted it as saute liquid in the recipe since you can use most anything, broth, water, the cooking liquid from steaming the veggies….

Ingredients:

3/4 cup lentils
1/4 cup saute liquid
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, shredded
1 small green chile, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup long-grain brown rice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 1/4 cups vegetable broth or water
1/2 pound spinach leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
Wash lentils and put them in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring
to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to very low, and cook 20 minutes. Remove
from heat until ready to add to the rice.

Heat the saute liquid in a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven. Add onion
and celery and cook 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes. Add carrot
and chile. Cook, stirring, 1 or 2 minutes. Add ground spices and cook,
stirring, about 1 minute. Add rice. Cook, stirring, about 5 minutes,
until grains turn translucent, then opaque, but not scorched. Stir in
the lentils and any unabsorbed water in the lentil pot. Add salt,
pepper, and broth or water. Cook at a low boil for 15 minutes. Add the
spinach, pushing it down into the rice mixture. Cover, reduce heat to
very low, and cook 30 minutes.

In a small skillet or saucepan, cook the cumin seeds until they begin to
darken and pop. Pour over the lentil-rice mixture, add the lemon juice,
and serve.

Serves 3 or 4 as a main dish.