A tribute to the radiant yellow of the sun, chef Rachel Ama's (@rachelama_) vibrant and warming rice dish is perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner, and a great sharing dish when cooking for group of friends. With nourishing lentils and fragrant spices, this one-pan dish is simple to make and packed with flavour.

Method:

Pour olive oil into a saute or casserole pan on medium heat. Use a pan which has a lid as you will need this later when cooking the rice. Add cumin and coriander seeds, wait for the seeds to slightly sizzle and pop in the pan - this takes 1-2 minutes.
Then add the rest of the spices, followed by the onion. Cook while stirring occasionally for 3 minutes until onions are golden and spices have bloomed. Then, mix in lemon slices, washed rice, cooked lentils, and water. Stir to combine.
Adjust the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, place the lid on top and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn the heat off and let the rice rest with the lid on for another 3 minutes. Then, fluff rice with a fork.
For delightful presentation, serve the golden turmeric rice with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, a dollop of coconut yoghurt, and a generous sprinkle of fresh coriander. Squeeze some lemon juice over the dish for a refreshing twist.

About Rachel

Rachel Ama knows the London vegan scene inside-out and is constantly searching for additional international flavour combinations. She is the author of two cookbooks, ‘Rachel Ama’s Vegan Eats’ and ‘One Pot, Three Ways: Save Time With Vibrant, Versatile, Vegan Recipes’ and takes inspiration from both her Caribbean and African roots.

Ingredients

2 cups (390g) of Jasmine rice, washed

800ml water

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

Large pinch of salt

1 lemon, in slices

150g cooked brown lentils