If you are beginning your journey as a cook, do have some confidence that you won't always need to follow recipes for ever. Over time you will be able to knock up your favourites without thinking, and mix techniques from different recipes to make new dishes.
This dish uses a similar technique to my recent Lentil Risotto recipe and my Lentil and Rice Soup recipe. It also blends in the idea of using tomato puree to develop a sauce that Glen and Friends used with braised cabbage.
Tomato puree is a great ingredient, but can be confused in different countries. The "puree" we get in tubes in Ireland and the UK is more like what is called tomato paste in the US - thick, cooked down strained tomatoes, which deliver a delicious hit of umami richness to a sauce.
This is a great one-pot-wonder that comes together within 30 minutes.
Ingredients:
150g wholegrain rice
A small handful of dried mushrooms (optional)
1 clove garlic, sliced thinly
1 medium red or white onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato puree (paste!)
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
300ml boiled water
1 400g can of mixed beans, drained and rinsed
300ml veggie stock
Add some oil to a pan along with the slices of garlic. Turn the heat on to medium-high. When the garlic starts to sizzle a little, stir in the onions and the dried herbs. Keep things moving on the pan to make sure the garlic doesn't burn.
When the onion gets to the translucent stage, make a well in the middle of the pan and add in the tomato puree. Stir it around for a minute and then gradually incorporate it into the onions. Add in the lentils, rice, 300ml of boiled water and a half teaspoon of salt. Stir well, put a lid on the pan and leave for about 5 minutes. Keep an eye on it as the lentils and rice will absorb the water quickly.
When most of the water is absorbed, stir in the stock and the can of beans. Leave for another 5 minutes or so and check the doneness of the rice. Add a little more water if you think it looks too dry. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
Once the rice is done, serve with some freshly cracked black pepper.