Great food is all about dimensions. For some people, food has only one dimension: they eat it for fuel. For others it has two dimensions: it not only keeps them going, but it tastes good too. However, as with Oscar winning blockbusters about blue people from Pandora, the full experience can really only be enjoyed in 3D. For this dish, we’ve added texture in the form of crispy onions and the hearty mouth filling indulgence that is grilled halloumi. Blue and red disposable glasses optional.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
½
Cherry Tomatoes
1
Green Lentils
1
Red Onion
1
Halloumi
(Contains Milk)
Pistachios
(Contains Nuts May contain Sulphites, Sesame, Nuts, Peanut)
1
Plain Flour
(Contains Cereals containing gluten)
½
Basmati Rice
½
Baby Spinach
175
Boiling Water
Chop the cherry tomatoes into quarters. Drain and rinse the lentils. Peel and chop the red onion in half lengthways then slice thinly. Slice the halloumi into ½cm slices and chop the pistachios.
Mix the flour with a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix your onion slices in the flour to thoroughly coat them.
Heat a splash of oil in a non-stick pan on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry off your onion in small batches. Tip: By not overcrowding the pan you can brown off the onion rather than stew it. When your onion is really crispy, remove to the side (on kitchen paper preferably).
In the (now empty) pan, heat another splash of oil on medium heat. Add the ras-el-hanout and cook for 1 minute (with a pinch of sugar if you have some). Mix in a third of your tomatoes and season with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Add the rice to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the exact quantity of boiling water as stated above and turn the heat to its lowest setting. Cover the pan with a lid and leave for 10 mins. Remove the pan from the heat for 10 mins (don’t remove the lid).
Pre-heat your grill to high. While your grill heats up, brush your halloumi slices very lightly with oil. Lay the slices on a baking tray and grill as close to the heat as possible. Cook until thoroughly browned off on both sides.
Finely chop the spinach. Once your rice is ready, stir in your lentils and half of your onions. Put your pan back on the hob on medium-low heat for a few mins. Test for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste. Lastly, stir your spinach through the rice.
Serve your halloumi on top of your rice, spinach and lentil mixture. Top with your leftover cherry tomatoes, remaining onions and a sprinkle of pistachios.