Put the red lentils and jalepeño in a pot (or, for baked version, a deep casserole dish or dutch oven)
Add onions, Muir Glen crushed tomatoes with basil, and a small pour of olive oil in one spot to put spices in.
Place chili powder & cumin into the olive oil so it brings out the flavor (spices are fat-soluble, so they will taste better if put in oil before cooking. In water they will just float around.) Add in salt and pepper.
Add in vegetable stock. Cook or bake.
Make the basmati rice!
Grate some Monterey Jack cheese to put on top when it is done cooking.
Chop some red onion to garnish the dish with. If you want salad, you can prepare that too.
Stir cilantro into finished rice.
Add cheese to lentil dish, and serve!
Mexican Flavored Red Lentil Casserole
Serves: 4-5 people
Ingredients
- 1¾ cup red lentils
- 28 oz vegetable stock
- 1 cup chopped onion
- a pour of olive oil
- 1 cup Muir Glen crushed tomatoes with basil
- ½ to 1 jalapeño, depending on taste, chopped
- 2 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 5 turns of black pepper
- 1½ to 3 tsp salt
- Monterey Jack cheese, grated, for topping
- a large handful cilantro, chopped, for rice
- 1 cup rice
Instructions
- COMBINE
- • put red lentils and jalepeño in a pot (or, for baked version, a deep casserole dish or dutch oven)
- • add onions, tomatoes, and a small pour of olive oil in one spot to put spices in.
- • Place chili powder & cumin into the olive oil so it begins to season, season with salt and pepper. Add in vegetable stock.
- COOK
- • For stovetop cooking, bring to a boil then turn down to low. Don't cover completely. Cook for 20 minutes.
- • For oven version, bake at 400 degrees for about 40-60 minutes. Stir & add more water occasionally.
- GARNISH
- • When dish is done, sprinkle with cheese, chopped red onion, and cilantro
- FOR THE RICE
- cook 1 cup plain rice. When rice is done, stir in chopped cilantro.
