This substantial dish combines sweet peppers and tomatoes with fiery chilli and cayenne pepper to make a sauce for fibre-rich lentils, beans and chickpeas.
ingredients
serves 4
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 green pepper, de-seeded and chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and chopped
3/4 cup green lentils, cleaned of grit, washed and drained
1/2 level teaspoon chilli powder
1 level teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/8 level teaspoon cayenne pepper
15 oz tinned chopped tomatoes
3/4 pint vegetable stock
1 cup long-grain rice
1 1/4 cups cooked red kidney beans
1 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas
cilantro or parsley sprigs to garnish
method
1. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and cook the onion, carrot, garlic and green and red peppers in it over a moderate heat for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened.
2. Add the lentils, chilli powder, cumin, bay leaf, cayenne pepper, tomatoes and stock. Cover and simmer for SO minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook the rice.
4. Stir the kidney beans and chickpeas into the lentil mixture, cover and simmer for a further 10 minutes, until the lentils are tender but not mushy. Remove the bay leaf.
5. Spoon the rice into individual serving bowls with a helping of the chilli on top. Garnish with the cilantro or parsley.
A salad of cucumber with yoghurt and mint makes a cooling side dish for the spicy chilli.
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