Serves: 6-8
Cooking time: 1 hour.

1 ¾ cups lentils
2 large onions
1 cup olive or nut oil
6 cups water
2 cups rice, washed and drained
1 tablespoon salt

Prepare and wash lentils as directed on page 16. Slice onions finely into half circles, place in fry pan with hot oil and fry until golden brown. Remove half the onions from the pan and place on absorbent paper to drain and become crisp. Leave the remaining onions in the pan.

Boil lentils in the water until nearly tender – approx 20-25 minutes. Mix in rice and bring back to the boil.

Reheat the remaining onions and oil in the fry pan until very hot. Pour them, with the oil, onto the boiling lentils and rice. Add salt, cover tightly, turn down the heat and simmer slowly until the rice is tender and all the fluid is absorbed – approx 20 minutes.

Serve hot or cold, garnished with the crisp brown onion slices, if served cold, accompany with a tossed salad.