Middle Eastern Barley, Lentil, & Rice Casserole
photo by Jenny Sanders
- Ready In:
- 55mins
- Ingredients:
- 12
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1⁄2 cup dried lentils
- 1⁄2 cup pearl barley
- 1⁄2 cup long-grain rice
- 1⁄4 cup chopped dried apricot
- 1⁄2 cup raisins (I used golden sultanas)
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons dried mint
- pepper
directions
- Heat oil in a medium-large saucepan (I used a 2Q pan and it was just right; I've also sauteed in water instead of oil).
- Add onion and garlic; cook& stir 2 min.
- Stir in cinnamon, sugar, and 4 c water.
- Add lentils and barley.
- Bring to boil on med heat; reduce heat to low.
- Cover and simmer gently for 20 min.
- Add rice, apricots, raisins, and mint; stir.
- Simmer, covered, 20 more min or until all the ingredients are tender and have absorbed the liquid.
- Season to taste with pepper.
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Reviews
-
I made this per the recipe except I added salt. I don't think it is like anything I have eaten before. It is like a savoury sweet and sour porridge with some texture. The family had a mixed response to it. The kids refused to eat it but the adults enjoyed it. I felt it might have made a good side dish to a middle eastern meat or chicken dish. I also wondered if it would have been tastier made with vegetable stock.
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I made this in my rice cooker, which made it very easy ~ I just cooked the onion and garlic right in the cooker, then added the other ingredients. I needed to reset it, but no problem. I used brown rice, so added the rice at the same time as the barley and lentils. I thought it was delicious, the apricots added a nice sweet tang, and I had some Iranian sultanas that were perfect in this. My one quibble is that it needed a little salt, but that is easily remedied.
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I just hate to give a one star rating!! Everyone in the family tasted this recipe and not one person would eat it. I generally will eat anything vegan, but I just didn't like this one. We actually had to throw it out. I may try this again but use only rice and barley, omit the onions and garlic, use lemon juice, keep the raisins but use apples instead of apricots. Also I would simply omit the sugar.
Tweaks
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I just hate to give a one star rating!! Everyone in the family tasted this recipe and not one person would eat it. I generally will eat anything vegan, but I just didn't like this one. We actually had to throw it out. I may try this again but use only rice and barley, omit the onions and garlic, use lemon juice, keep the raisins but use apples instead of apricots. Also I would simply omit the sugar.