Fluffy oat pilau with lentils and orange blossom
Vegetarian Persian fusion
Ingredients
- 1 mug oats
- 1/2 mug Green, brown or beluga lentils
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 medium cauliflower, chopped small
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tsp each of cumin, coriander and paprika
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water Depending on the strength - OBW varies greatly in strength, so start with a small amount and add more if needed.
Instructions
- Bang the lentils in the microwave for 15 minutes with 3x lentil volume in boiling water and 1/2 tsp salt.
- Place a large frying pan for which you have a lid on a medium-high heat and toast the oats until browning and crispy. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onions with 2 tsp oil and fry on a high heat until browning around the edges, about 4-5 minutes. Chop up your cauli and garlic and add to the pan, along with the spices. Fry until the lentils come out the microwave, then add them and any remaining water, 1 tsp salt and a good grind of pepper. Fry until the water has mostly evaporated.
- Add another mug of boiling water. The water shouldn't come above the veggie level - if it does, let it boil down a bit or throw in some frozen peas or something for extra bulk. Sprinkle the toasted oats all over the top and don't mix - your oats will go sticky where you have contact with the water, so avoid it as much as possible. Cover with a lid, turn the heat to low and steam for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the lid, cover with a clean tea towel then quickly replace the lid. Let stand for another 5 minutes. Mix through with a fork and serve hot on a bed of rocket, with a blob of greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of paprika on top.