Lentil Rice Bowls with Cauliflower, Spinach and Yogurt Recipe

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the cilantro stems, cumin, scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the lentils and water, season with a couple generous pinches of salt and bring the mixture up to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pot and cook for 12 minutes.

Step 2

While the lentils cook, grate the cauliflower on the largest holes of a box grater, stopping when you have only the core piece left. You should have about 3 cups of grated cauliflower.

Step 3

Uncover the pot and stir in the rice and another good pinch of salt. Bring the mixture back to a simmer, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle the cauliflower over the rice and lentils (don’t stir it in) and season with another pinch of salt. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes. Uncover, add the spinach and then cover the pot again. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes to allow the ambient heat to wilt the spinach.

Step 4

Using a Microplane, grate the zest of the lemon into the pot and stir everything together. Cut the zested lemon into wedges. Serve the lentils and rice in bowls topped with cilantro leaves and yogurt and the lemon wedges for squeezing over each serving.