This is one of my favourite combos! It’s healthy, loaded with lentils and full of flavours. This is a mild version that’s completely toddler approved.

Recipe for Jeera Rice

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup basmati rice
2. 3 tbsp cumin seeds
3. 2 tbsp butter or ghee
4. 2 bay leaves
5. 4 cardamoms
6. A piece of cinnamon
7. 1 small onion, finely chopped
8. 2 cloves of garlic
9. Coriander for garnish
10. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook basmati rice as per packet instructions in a pan or pressure cooker and keep aside.
2. Heat butter or ghee in a pan and fry garlic.
3. Add cumin seeds, onion, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and sauté until onions are well cooked.
4. Add salt and cooked basmati rice and sauté until well combined.
5. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander.

Recipe for Rajma

Ingredients:

1. 1 can of red kidney beans *
2. 1 can of black lentils *
3. 1 medium sized onion, chopped
4. 2 large tomatoes, chopped
5. 2 cloves of garlic
6. 1 inch piece of ginger
7. 4 tbsp butter to cook
8. 1 tbsp garam masala
9. Pinch of turmeric
10. 1 tsp red chilli powder
11. Pinch of sugar
12. 1 tbsp ground cumin
13. 1 tbsp ground coriander
14. 2 bay leaves
15. 2 cardamoms
16. A piece of cinnamon
17. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Transfer red kidney beans and black lentils to a bowl. For this dish, you can use the lentils along with the water as that gives a beautiful colour.
2. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a pan and fry ginger and garlic. Add cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, onion and tomatoes.
3. Add salt and turmeric and cook until it’s soft and you can see small bubbles of butter appearing on the sides of the pan. Remove from heat and let it cool. Purée the onion and tomato mixture.
4. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp butter and fry chilli powder, sugar, garam masala, ground cumin and ground coriander on low heat until nice and fragrant.
5. Add the onion and tomato mixture and lentils and cook for 20 minutes on low heat until nice and creamy.
6. Serve with jeera rice or chapatis.

* Note: In case you can’t find canned lentils, soak the lentils in water overnight and cook in a pan or pressure cooker with water until soft. Remember to save the water you cooked in as that gives a beautiful colour.

Curries Lunch and Dinner Rice