• preparation

1. Rinse the lentils. Simmer them in 2 cups of water, with the bay leaf, until they are soft but not mushy. Depending on the quality of the lentils, this might take 30-40 minutes. Do not add salt. Add more water if it looks like they’re drying out, but if they finish cooking and there’s water left over, just drain them and return them to the pot.
2. Add salt to taste after the lentils are done. Remove the bay leaf.
For the rice:
1. Rinse the rice and allow it to drain almost dry.
2. Heat the oil gently and add the rice, stirring to coat the grains with oil.
3. When the rice has become transparent, add the garlic. Stir half a minute, then add the salt and the water.
4. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and cook over low heat. Cook the rice until all the water has evaporated and the grains are tender and separate.
5. While the rice is cooking, slice the onions thinly.
6. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a non-stick pan and caramelize the onions over medium heat, stirring once in a while until they are very soft and golden, not brown and crisp.
7. When the onions are done – in 10-15 minutes – add the cumin, cinnamon and a little salt and pepper.
8. Final step: Fluff the rice with a fork. Combine the cooked lentils and the rice, mixing gently with the. Stir some of the caramelized onion in, and top the dish with the rest of the onions.
9. Serve warm, with cucumber yogurt sauce or tzatziki if desired.