Instructions: Place lentils in saucepan with 6 cups water; bring to a boil.

Simmer gently 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender.

Drain well and reserve.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large, deep skillet; add onions.

Cook onions until theyre brown and crisp.

Remove; reserve half the onions.

Add rice to remaining onions in pan and cook, stirring, to combine rice with onions, about 3 minutes.

Add water or stock, salt and pepper (if stock is unseasoned); bring to a boil.

Cover and cook rice 10 minutes for white[, or full cooking time for brown rice less 13 minutes - EPs note]

Add [cooked] lentils; cover and cook another 10 minutes.

Season to taste.

Garnish with fried onions.

Makes 4-6 servings.

NOTES : I always use less vegetable oil than this recipe calls for. The more oil, the higher the fat content, and the longer it takes to get the onions crisp.

I used to make this with quick-cooking brown rice since I rarely eat white rice.Since purchasing a pressure cooker, I have begun cooking the rice separately at the same time as the lentils and onions, then mixing all the ingredients together in the pan I cooked the onions in, seasoning with salt and pepper and heating the mixture through.

This is a low-fat recipe by Bonnie Stern that I have made many times. Apparently the recipe is modeled after a popular lentil dish that is served (or was served?) at the Jerusalem Restaurant in mid-town Toronto.

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