I cook rice almost everyday. Thanks to the rice cooker, it is easy to do. When I cook rice with beans, most beans need to be pre-cooked. Even ‘Auzuki’ Red Beans, that are very small, need to be pre-cooked when cooked with rice such as ‘Sekihan’. However, Lentils don’t require pre-cooking as they can be cooked quite quickly, and Lentils add a nutty flavour and good nutrients to the rice.

---

Makes

4 Servings

Ingredients

1 & 1/2 cups (*180ml cup) Japanese Short Grain Rice *OR Rice of your choice
1/2 cup (180ml cup) Lentils *any colour Lentils
Vegetable Stock *OR Water and 1 Vegetable Stock Cube
2 tablespoons Sake (Rice wine) *optional
Salt as required

Sautéed Onion
1 Onion *thinly sliced OR finely chopped
1 tablespoon Oil
1 pinch Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
*Note: You can use Crispy Fried Shallots instead of Sautéed Onion.

Method

1. Wash Rice and Lentils and drain. Place in the rice cooker’s inner pot, add Vegetable Stock (OR Water and chopped Vegetable Stock Cube) up to the 2-cups-marking. Add Sake (Rice wine), season with Salt as required, and gently stir.
2. Press the Cook/Start button. Meanwhile, cook thinly sliced Onion with Oil in a frying pan until slightly caramelised. Season with 1 pinch Salt.
3. When the rice is cooked, let it steamed for 10 minutes, then gently toss to mix. Place the Sautéed Onion on top, sprinkle with Freshly Ground Black Pepper. *Note: You can add Crispy Fried Shallots instead of Sautéed Onion.