Red Rice and Lentil Curry with Red Kidney Beans

Okay, I know the recipe clearly says red rice but sometimes you just got to stick with what you have and use it. In case you're wondering, the ingredients I used worked wonderfully.

This dish is high in protein and good carbs. Although Rick and I enjoyed this as a meal, I thought it would make a really good side dish instead. If I make this again in the future, I'm going to throw in some torn up kale or spinach. Mmm...

Red Rice and Lentil Curry with Red Kidney Beans
(greatly inspired by a recipe from Pat Crocker's "The Vegan Cook's Bible")
serves four

Oil spray
1 cup chopped red onion (I used sweet onion)
1 to 2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup red or brown rice
3 1/4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup dried red lentils (I used brown lentils), picked over and rinsed
1 cup cooked kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1. Spray a large saucepan generously with oil and heat over medium heat. Stir in the chopped onion and cook until soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add curry powder and mix well. Then, add rice and stir constantly for a minute. Pour in the water. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.
2. Stir in the lentils and salt. Reduce heat to low and cover; cook for 40 minutes until the rice and lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and mix in the kidney beans.

It was like an uber simple paella. =)

Admittedly, I made a mistake when the dish was already cooking; I didn't add enough water and some of the rice burned! Rick didn't have a problem with it though, as he doesn't mind the taste of burnt food. What I thought would turn out to be a waste actually worked out very well. I wonder what this dish will taste like not burned!

Nutrition Facts per Serving

Calories: 217
Fat: 1.1g
Carbs: 40.9g
Protein: 11.7g
Fiber: 12.1g
Calcium: 50.3mg

Brown rice, lentils, and kidney beans? That healthy trio means a huge amount of fiber, good carbs, and a lot of protein! Getting into the fine nutritional detail, both lentils and red kidney beans are a great source of copper, folate, iron, phosphorus, and manganese.
See? Side dishes can totally be healthy. =)