Moutzendra – Lentil Pilaf - Μουτζεντρα

I just walked into the house after taking care of my garden. As always, I also sat down leisurely in the garden to simply enjoy it. My garden is my refuge. I go out there to think, write, have my coffee, have my dinner and many times I also go out at night to simply gaze at the stars. I love it and I am out there a few times per day, every day. Last week I did so much gardening that my back was hurting but the result was all worth it!

The colors and the smells I enjoy are invaluable. Every day I am able to cut a few gardenias and sometimes roses. There are so many flowers on the plants that I can afford to cut a few for the vases.

Well now, I am in my other favorite place of the house which is my kitchen. I have to prepare dinner.

This is what’s for dinner tonight! A healthy and hearty lentil pilaf the way we eat it back home in Cyprus. Everyone talks about the Mediterranean diet and the healthy way of eating in that part of the world. Well here I will give you a recipe of a meal that’s like a dynamite when you eat it J

It’s very high in protein, fiber and also contains, folate, and vitamin B1.

This is also one my daughter’s favorite dishes. People are amazed when they hear her asking me to make lentils; maybe it’s because my mom fed her so many lentils when she was a toddler!

I modified the recipe to make it healthier. Traditionally with moutzendra we fry the onions separately and we add them in the end and we just stir them into the already cooked pilaf. I avoid frying the onions and I just add them along with other vegetables. I learned from my mom to add tomatoes, carrots and zucchini in this recipe which makes it a lot tastier.

I also like this dish because it’s a whole meal on its own. You can just have a side green salad on the side and you are all set. You don’t need bread or other side dishes.

1 cup green or brown lentils

½ cup long grain white rice

1/3 cup olive oil

2 cups chopped or puree tomatoes

1 medium yellow onion finely chopped

1 cup chopped carrots

2 cups chopped zucchini

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 cup water

Salt

Pepper

Place the tomatoes in boiling water for 5 minutes or more to soften the skin. Peel the skin off and chop the tomatoes. Set aside.

Wash the lentils in cold water and place in a saucepan. Add the three cups of vegetable broth, 1one cup of water, two cups of chopped fresh tomatoes, the olive oil, rice, and the finely chopped onion.

You can use either fresh or canned tomatoes. Fresh tomatoes will give more flavor.

Add the rest of the chopped vegetables. Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil then turn the heat to low.

Cook for 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Stir all the ingredients together. Continue to cook on very low heat for 15 more minutes or longer until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice and lentils are soft.

While the pilaf is cooking stir occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

Turn the heat off. Place a towel under the lid to absorb all the extra liquid for a few minutes prior to serving.

Serves 6-8

  

Growing up we ate a lot of legumes in my family on a weekly basis so I got to love them. I hope more people learn to cook them other than just adding them plain into salads. There are a lot of delicious and versatile dishes having as the main ingredients, beans, lentils and chickpeas.

…. and I truly believe that it’s the ability to enjoy the simple things in life that makes happiness!

….. like cooking lentil pilaf and then sitting in the garden to enjoy it!  :-)

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