Infused with an Indian and French spirits, this delicious recipe is quick and easy to make. The tenderness of butternut contrasts with the crunchiness of almonds, and the tangy and refreshing vinaigrette balances the warmth of the Indian spices.
I often cook it before going to work, while I am having breakfast and preparing my bag. It is a complete and balanced meal, which is convenient when you carry a bag full of training equipment because you need only one box to transport your lunch/dinner. This recipe is cheap to make because it contains almost only basic and unprocessed ingredients. It is also suitable for a vegetarian diet. Although I am not vegetarian I like to be able to prepare a balanced meal without any animal products in order to balance my diet.
This recipe takes 35 minutes to cook, possibly less if you have two burners on your hob and 10 minutes to prepare. The following ingredient quantities represent around 850 kcal with around 55 % of the calories coming from carbohydrates, 30 % from lipids and 15 % from proteins.
100 g brown rice
2 cm-thick (finger-thick) slice of butternut squash, peeled and seeded
80 g green lentils, preferably Puy lentils which retain a better shape after cooking
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (which softens the structure of lentils and make them cook faster)
15 g whole almonds (around 15 almonds or what fits in the palm of your hand)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 black peppercorns
3 cloves (I love cloves and their strength may vary depending on the batch, so might want to try one first and adjust to your taste)
2 branches parsley
Step 1: Chop the butternut squash slice in medium cubes (around 2 cm wide, so they contrast with the size of the other ingredients). Put the rice in a pan with 25 cL water and bring to boil, then cover and reduce the heat to the minimum and cook 20 minutes. Add the butternut squash cubes to the rice after 5 minutes, so the butternut squash cooks for 15 minutes. After 20 minutes, if some water remains increase the heat and stir until the water has evaporated. Set aside.
Step 2: While the rice is cooking, put the lentils in a pot with 50 cL water and the bicarbonate of soda. Bring to boil then reduce the heat to the minimum, cover and cook for 15 minutes. The bicarbonate of soda enables you to cook plant ingredients in half the normal time. If you do not have bicarbonate of soda cook the lentils 30 minutes. When cooked, drain the lentils.
Step 3: While the rice and lentils are cooking, wash the parsley and finely chop it. Prepare the vinaigrette with the mustard, vinegar and oil. Chop the cloves and grind them finely, then grind the black pepper. Use ready-made ground spice if you do not have a grinder or add them to the rice then fish them out at the end of cooking. Coarsely chop the almonds, do not chop them too fine so they can add a chunky texture to the dish.
Step 4: Combine all ingredients and serve or store for later. This recipe can be enjoyed slightly warm or cold.
Bon appétit!
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