Serves 4
40ml olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
40g small black lentils
1 litre water
80g long-grain rice; washed, drained
1 tsp ground cumin
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
Salt
2 tbsp cornflour
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 tsp dried rose petals (optional)
Method
1 In half the oil, sautée onion for a few mins until soft. Add the lentils and half the water; cover and cook for 15 mins.
2 Add rice, mix well and cook for 15 mins. Stir occasionally and gradually add rest of the water as it’s absorbed.
3 It’s ready when the rice grains have swelled and almost burst and lentils are turning the grains black. Add
½ tsp cumin and stir.
4 To prepare topping, soak onions in salted water for 15 mins. Drain, pat dry with paper. Dust and coat onion slices with cornflour and ½ tsp cumin.
5 Pour vegetable oil into a deep-fryer or pan to a depth of 8cm and heat to 170°C/325°F. Fry in batches until crisp and golden; drain on kitchen paper. Or, shallow-fry them in an olive oil and butter mix until they turn deep brown.
6 Serve rice at room temperature; top with onions and crushed rose petals.
Lebanese dirty rice taken from New Feast by Greg and Lucy Malouf (Hardie Grant £30). Photography Alan Benson.