Kichri - Rice and Lentils Dish

Iraqi cuisine is a fine cuisine.

What we now call Iraq (name invented by the British when they created the country, as they did for the whole Middle East), was once a major trade route and the cultural center of the Islamic Empire during the Golden Age. This cuisine has mellow flavors that blend together -- certain flavors that you will not fine anywhere else.

When the concept of fine dining -- which includes using silverware and glassware, eating three course meals, and maintaining certain table manners -- was invented in the Islamic capital, Europeans were eating bread, salt and roasted pigs with their hands, and would have to sell their house for an ounce of cloves. Being on a central trade route from India to the west meant that a wealth of spices was available to Iraqis and were commonly used in the country for centuries. There are minor resemblances to Indian cuisine, but you will not get the bombardment of spices in Iraqi cuisine, it is about finesse.

I did some modifications to the original recipe by the advice of my sister, chef Hadas Levendiger. This makes it even quicker to make, at a minor price in flavor.

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1/2 an hour to 1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1 chopped onion
• 5-7 spoons oil
• 4 ounces tomato paste
• 2-3 cups of boiling water
• 10 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Wash rice and lentils
2. Soak in water for at least 1.5 hours.
3. In a pot, fry the onions until they are golden in color.
4. Add crushed garlic and fry little bit more. Be careful not to burn the garlic; it burns very quickly.
5. Add rice, lentils, and tomato paste to 2 ½ cups of boiling water. The water has to be boiling before you add them.
6. Mix spices
7. Bring to a boil again and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.

Water and Cooking Time

This largely depends on the type of rice you use. It varies between 2-3 cups of water and 20-45 minutes of cooking time. Plain white rice is the quickest and needs the least amount of water.

Original Recipe

Same as above, but do NOT add garlic, turmeric and cumin to the pot. When the dish is ready, fry the garlic and spices in a frying pan, and then mix it in.

This is an extra step that emphasizes the flavor of the spices. Cooking them in water does have flavor degredation.