If I had a choice between gluten-free pasta and a rice dish, I’d pick a rice dish every time. There’s loads of recipes you can do with both, obviously, but as rice is naturally gluten-free it doesn’t have that awful aftertaste to it.

This rice dish doesn’t take long to actually prepare but it can take up to an hour to cook in total. This is definitely a Sunday kind of dish, you can spend some time really giving it a go and then it’s just quicker each time after that. The recipe is from one of the best gluten-free recipe books I’ve come across so far, called ‘Gluten free 101 successful recipes.’

Serves 4
Prep 20 mins
Cooking 35-40 mins

Ingredients

• 200g basmati rice
• 150g of small brown lentils
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 500ml water
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 spring onions

Method

1. Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with 1 litre of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Decrease the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer until the lentils are beginning to soften, 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat the oil and butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, and chilli and saute until softened and lightly coloured. 3-4 minutes. Add the cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Stir in the rice and lentils. Pour in the water. Add the salt, stir well, and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil over medium heat and keep bubbling for 3 minutes.
4. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until the rice and lentils are tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir in the spring onions and serve hot.