Yes, I'm mostly vegan, so some ingredients aren't' true to this recipe - instead opting for other more readily available ingredients as well as replacing simple white refined carbs with denser, whole grain carbs. Cooking is all about taking what's already been done and adding one's own unique twist to it - whether it works or not is the joy of discovery in cooking - especially vegetarian cuisine.
I'm a big fan of middle eastern and Mediterranean foods - they bring a wealth of flavor and textures not found in the mainstream American diet. I've also found that since having turned to a 95% vegetarian diet, I actually feel better. Most everyone I speak with looks at me as though I'm crazy, since I was a die hard carnivore until early 2008 when I became quite ill two separate times from eating commercially available meats from a reputable grocery chain where I live.
Ever since then, I've had to learn to rethink what it means to eat to live, not live to eat.
Note: I prefer to cook the rice the night before in a rice cooker, but you can follow this recipe more closely if you desire. I prefer Brown Basmati Rice as it is a little heartier and the flavor closely mimics cooking rice in butter - without the extra fat and calories
Vegan Kushary (My spin on this Mediterranean street food)
2 onions, peeled and sliced into half moons
1/2 cup brown lentils (should yield 1 cup cooked lentils)
6 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp Earth Balance Margarine
5 Tbsp plus 1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups Brown long-grain or Basmati rice
4 tsp salt
2 cups ditalini pasta (whole grain if possible)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 medium onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, crushed
6 oz tomato paste
2 tsp white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Sriracha
Arrange the onion slices (the 2 onions, sliced into half moons) on some paper towels, sprinkle generously with salt, and leave for 30 mins covered with paper towels to absorb moisture.
In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat, then cook the diced onion (NOT the sliced half moon pieces) until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 mins, stirring constantly so the garlic doesn’t burn.
Mix the tomato paste and 3 cups water and add to the onion. Reduce the heat to low while you simmer the tomato sauce for 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper, and Sriracha and cook until denser, about another 5 minutes. Taste and add water if necessary.
Wash the lentils under running water. Put them in a medium-size heavy saucepan, add 1 1/2 cups water and 1 teaspoon of the salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are al dente, anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour. You may have to check intermittently and add extra water. Drain and reserve the lentils.
In another large, heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, heat 2 tsp of the Earth Balance Margarine over medium-high heat, then cook the rice for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to coat all the grains, then add 2 cups water and 2 tsp salt. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover while the rice cooks until the water is absorbed, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid or stir while the rice cooks.
While the lentils and rice are cooking, prepare the onions. In a large skillet, heat 5 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion slices and coat with the oil. Continue turning the onions as they turn from white to yellow to brown. Once they turn brown, 10 to 20 minutes, continue to cook until some turn dark brown, another 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the burner and quickly transfer the onions to a paper towel-lined platter to cool and drain.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of abundantly salted water to a vigorous boil and add the pasta. Cook until soft and drain well.
To serve, layer, in any order, the rice, pasta and lentils. Cover in sauce to taste. Season with ground pepper and garnish with the caramelized onions.
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