Lentils and rice with cranberries is an aromatic Persian style dish that is a bit tangy, subtly sweet and savory. Easy, healthy and gluten free this flavorful one pot meal is packed with plant protein and fiber. A great thanksgiving side.
Inspired By Persian Adas Polo
This lentils and rice recipe is actually inspired by the traditional Adas polo, a Persian lentil rice. I often used to make that with some barberries (Zereshk).
Since cranberries are more easily available I tried the version here using them. Then I dressed up the creation with some carrots, orange rind, pistachios and dates.
It actually also had similarities with morasa polo (jeweled rice).
Step by Step: How to Make It
Make homemade sweetened cranberries (may use store bought too) and prepare the orange rind (can use orange zest).
Saute onions with spices and cook with lentils, cranberries, orange zest, carrots. Cook rice in rice cooker or boil it in lots of salted water for 5 to 6 minutes and drain before it becomes too soft.
To make the optional Persian style rice crust, mix some cooked rice with yogurt and saffron water and spread the mixture on the bottom of a nicely oiled cooking pot.
Arrange the cooked rice and lentils in several layers. Drizzle saffron water on the top and simmer until steam builds up well.
Pro Tips
- Lentils are of many kinds; quick and easy to prepare. Here, I have used the green lentils, as they cook to a firm texture without falling apart. I especially like French green lentils.
- I have used orange rind in this recipe but you may substitute with orange zest if you wish.
- The recipe below provides instructions for making the cranberry rice in a rice cooker or a conventional cooking pot. Alternatively, the rice and lentil layers may be placed in an oven proof dish, covered and then baked at 350 degrees F for about one hour.
- If you wish to make the rice crust (tahdig), then butter or oil the oven proof dish and spread the rice-yogurt mixture, making sure to adjust the amount of oil, rice, yogurt and saffron needed to coat the bottom of the pan in a thick layer.
- The store bought dried cranberries are too sweet with a lot of sugar in them. I prefer to make my own. Doing this lowers the added sugar by 40%.
- I simply mix some cranberries with honey or maple syrup and bake them for about half hour. It will definitely release some juices, but just let it rest for a while.
- I typically leave the baked berries on the baking sheet for a day and then slowly loosen them using a fork. Viola, I have sweeter cranberries that are still a little moist and work in a recipe like this one. They also look gorgeous like jewels!
Are Lentils Good for You?
Lentils are packed with protein, fiber, folic acid, manganese, iron, phosphorus and phytochemicals.
They are also a good source of soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels. Regular consumption of lentils is associated with lowering the risk of obesity and heart disease.
As lentils are a good source of dietary fiber, they help maintain intestinal health, regularity and satiety. They provide good amount of bulk and are suitable for weight loss diets.
Are Cranberries Good For You?
Cranberries have been referred to as a super food as they are high in nutrients and antioxidants. They are a good source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese, vitamin K, and vitamin E.
The health benefits of cranberries include - lower risk of urinary tract infections, improved immune function, cancer prevention, and decreased blood pressure.
It is the high level of proanthocyanidins in cranberries that help prevent the bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract, thereby mitigating the infection.
More Rice Recipes:
- Persian Lubia Polo (Green Bean Rice)
- Persian Shrimp and Rice with Herbs
- Saffron Rice with Chicken, Yogurt and Spinach
- Koshari (Egyptian Rice)
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Lentils and Rice with Cranberries
Ingredients
- 1½ cups cranberries fresh, (or ¾ cup dried cranberries soaked in water)
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup (for fresh cranberries)
- 2 tablespoon orange rind organic, slivered (or orange zest)
- 1¼ cups lentils
- ¾ teaspoon salt adjust
- 4 tablespoon olive oil (including one tablespoon for optional rice crust)
- 1 onion medium, thinly sliced
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon advieh (Persian spice mix, substitute: see note 6-7)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin ground
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup carrot shredded
- 1¾ cups basmati rice white, rinsed, see note 2-5
- ½ teaspoon saffron (ground and dissolved in 2 tablespoon hot water)
- 3 tablespoon yogurt (optional for rice crust)
- 2 tablespoon pistachios toasted, sliced
- 2 tablespoon dates chopped (optional)
Instructions
HOW TO MAKE SWEETENED DRIED CRANBERRIES
- Rinse the fresh cranberries and blot them dry with a paper towel. Add the maple syrup or honey and stir well to coat the cranberries.
- Spread the berries out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Ideally let the baked cranberries rest a day and loosen them out using a fork.Tip: May use store bought dried cranberries too.
SLIVERED ORANGE RIND
- Scrub and wash organic oranges really well. Wipe them dry. Peel very thin layers of the orange surface, without the pith. Cut thin slivers of the orange rind.
- Put the slivered orange rind in a sauce pan and cover with water. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain the orange rind and use.Tip: Alternatively you may use grated orange zest.
HOW TO COOK LENTILS
- Cook the lentils in about 2½ cups of water and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Once well done, drain the lentils and set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoon olive oil at medium setting in a cooking pot. Add the sliced onions and sauté few minutes. Then add the grated garlic and continue to sauté until the onions are light golden brown. Add the cooked lentils and stir.
- Then add all the spices (advieh through black pepper) and stir well. Mix in the cranberries, shredded carrots and slivered orange peel. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
RICE COOKER METHOD
- Cook the rice with 2 ¼ cups of water, 1 tablespoon oil and ½ teaspoon salt.
- RICE CRUST (optional, needs Persian style rice cooker, skip to step 4 if not making this): Add a tablespoon of oil or butter to a rice cooker and spread it. Take about ½ cup of cooked rice and mix it with the yogurt and 2 teaspoon of saffron water.
- Spread the rice-yogurt mixture over the oil in the pot to make the rice crust.Tip: The amount of rice used for the rice-yogurt mixture is suggested for a pot that has a 6 to 7 inch diameter base. Adjust the oil, rice, yogurt and saffron used according to the size of the pot used.
- Mix ¼ cup of cooked rice with a teaspoon of saffron water and set aside for garnish.
- Next, place the remaining cooked white rice and the lentil cranberry mixture in several alternating layers. Sprinkle saffron water all over.
- Steam the rice and lentil layers together for 15 to 20 minutes.
STOVE TOP METHOD
- Boil 6 cups of water with 1 tablespoon salt. Add the basmati rice and let it boil at medium high to high heat for 5-6 minutes until the rice grains are soft. Be sure to stir the rice while it is cooking. Drain the rice well in a colander and set aside.
- RICE CRUST (optional, skip to step 4 if not making this): Add a tablespoon of oil or butter to a heavy bottomed/non stick cooking pot and spread it. Take about ½ cup of cooked rice and mix it with the yogurt and 2 teaspoon of saffron water.
- Spread the rice-yogurt mixture over the oil in the pot to make the rice crust.Tip: The amount of rice used for the rice-yogurt mixture is suggested for a pot that has a 6 to 7 inch diameter base. Adjust the oil, rice, yogurt and saffron used according to the size of the pot used.
- Mix ¼ cup of cooked rice with a teaspoon of saffron water and set aside for garnish.
- Next, place the remaining cooked white rice and the lentil cranberry mixture in several alternating layers.
- Sprinkle saffron water all over. Be sure to also sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of oil on the top.
- Turn up the heat to medium high for about 10 minutes and then reduce the heat to the low setting and simmer for about 20 minutes or more until the steam builds up well.
SERVING LENTIL RICE
- Once the rice is ready, turn off the heat. Gently and lightly mix the layers of the Persian lentils and rice.
- Plate the prepared rice on a serving platter. Garnish with shredded carrots, orange rind, cranberries, pistachio slices and dates if you prefer. The rice crust if prepared, may be served on the side.
- Persian style lentils and rice with cranberries goes well with a yogurt salad such as Persian yogurt dip with shallots.
Notes
- To make the rice crust you will need to use a conventional heavy bottomed cooking pot, a non stick pot or a Persian rice cooker.
- Cooking time and water used for white basmati rice may vary with the age of rice.
- Rinse the basmati rice several times, until the water is clear and not starchy.
- The amount of water added while cooking the rice is very important to the final texture of this recipe.
- It is important to keep in mind the additional moisture from the other ingredients added to this Lentil Cranberry Rice such as the cooked lentils and onions. Therefore, in the first step, the rice should be cooked in a way to yield a fluffy rice, but holds its shape well and is not too wet and delicate.
- Advieh, the Persian spice mix is available at Persian or middle eastern stores and online.
- For more tips, check out the blog post above.
Nutrition
This post was first published on 8th January, 2017 and has been updated.
Anonymous says
Recipe liking delicious. Will try soon. Thanks for sharing
nev says
made this dish the other night when it was my turn to make dinner and everyone loved it! glad to be able to try some iranian food <3
Roxana Begum says
Thanks for sharing :)
Chichi says
This looks so colorful and bright. I love it.
Roxana Begum says
Thanks Chichi.
Cindy Rodriguez says
They always say that the more colors in something you eat, the better it is for you. Maybe my boys need this recipe for added color.
Roxana Begum says
Love your thoughts on it. Colors appeal to kids and I didn't think about it.
swathi says
I like this Persian style rice, with full of flavors, lentils and rice itself making filling one. With saffron and cranberry bring it to another level . I need to try it for myself.
Roxana Begum says
Thanks Swathi. Yes, you are right. A one pot meal that goes well with a yogurt or green salad.
Diana says
I LOVE this blog post and how you showed everything in detail step by step! You have a wonderful blog. This rice looks and sounds very delicious with the cranberries, yum!
Roxana Begum says
Thanks Diana :) You made my day. I try to do the best I can and am trying to improve.
Dannii says
What a beautiful colour this dish is. I would be very happy to have this for dinner
Roxana Begum says
Thanks Dannii :) Hope you try it!
Harb says
Beautiful recipe! Packed with such vibrant colors and flavors. Thanks for sharing!
Roxana says
Thank you and its my pleasure.
Charlene Pors says
This looks amazing! I really need to start cooking with more lentils. I will have to give this a try!
Roxana says
Thanks Charlene. Enjoy!!
laurhp says
What beautiful colors!!
Roxana says
Yes very true.
Maria says
Sounds delicious and so healthful. I have some saffron left over from Swedish Christmas baking that I need to use! Maybe I will give this a go!
Roxana says
Thanks Maria. Yes healthy and tasty. Enjoy!
Amy says
Wow, this is calling my name!
Roxana says
Thanks.
Katie says
Yum!! I love every single ingredient in this rice dish! Pinning for later ;)
Roxana says
Thank you Katie :)
Emily says
The colors in this dish are so beautiful! Looks delish!
Roxana says
Thanks Emily
Julie says
What a great flavor combo. The little addition of saffron is key!
Roxana says
Yes, I just love saffron too. Thanks.
Azita says
I think 30 minutes to cook cranberries in the oven is too long. Mine started to burn. I even took them out about 10 minutes early
Roxana Begum says
I actually tried it again and that was not my experience. Please check the oven temperature and see if needs to be calibrated. If you bake it at 400 degrees F, then you will need less time such as 15 to 20 minutes.