Okay, so this is most definitely not an authentic version of the Middle Eastern recipe (a quick Google search tells me Rishta is often a soup, which this is not). But, on the plus side, it is (1) delicious, (2) healthy (lentils!), (3) easy, (4) involves pasta, and (5) my kids like it (see #4). I make this about once a week for our family!
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups diced onions (don’t worry – your kids won’t notice them once its all mixed together!)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 (28 oz.) can of diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 – 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 12 oz. gluten free elbow macaroni
Instructions:
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
- Add the onions and cook, stirring until the onions are a dark, golden brown. This usually takes a good 15 – 20 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the lentils and vegetable stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes, cumin, coriander, and allspice. Cook for about 10 minutes covered, then uncover and cook for another 10 minutes.
- After stirring in the tomatoes and spices in step 5, put the water on, bring to a boil, and cook the pasta.
- While the pasta is cooking, toast the cumin seeds lightly in a dry skillet.
- Once the pasta is cooked, add it to the lentil sauce and mix well.
- Serve, garnishing with the toasted cumin seeds. (I omit the cumin seeds for my kids’ servings.)
Adapted from: The Joy of Cooking, by Irma Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker, 1997, p. 281.
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