Lentil & Rice Hotpot

This easy and tasty vegetarian dish combines the benefits of lentils with basmati rice and vegetables in one easy to cook, all-in-one dish. The best part is that this can be made in a thermos flask, so you save on cooking time and still get a hot nutritious lunch on the go.  The temperature of the flask allows for cooking to continue after the initial preparation and brief cooking time.

Ingredients

• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• ½ teaspoon of cumin or coriander
• pinch of chilli (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of butter, ghee or olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons of split red lentils (or pre-soaked green lentils)
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• 1 small floret of broccoli, chopped
• 1 small floret of cauliflower, chopped
• a few green beans
• handful of baby spinach or kale
• ½ teaspoon of Himalayan salt or pure sea salt
• 1.5 cups water or stock

Method

• NB: Preheat thermos flask by adding boiling water and sealing lid (remove water before adding mixture).
• Warm butter or oil in saucepan and gently fry onion, garlic and spices until fragrant.
• Add lentils and rice and sauté briefly. Add water or stock and salt.
• Bring to boil and reduce heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 5-10 mins.
• Add vegetables and mix well and bring back to a simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Pour mixture into a preheated thermos flask (at least 500mls capacity) and quickly seal lid.
• Allow to ‘cook’ for a further 4-5 hours in the flask before serving.