Day 26: - April 8, 2016 - Lenten Orzo and Lentil Dish - Νηστίσιμο Κριθαράκι με Φακές

We were first introduced to this dish by some Cypriot friends of ours.  We are told that in Cyprus, people make this for a quick meal, a side dish for meats, or for children who may be picky eaters.  The flavours are so gentle that this is sure to please any palette.  We were impressed by how easy it was to make, and we wanted to share our version which has been slightly adapted from what our friends make.

Lentils, Orzo, and Onions are typically found in the kitchen.  We use lentils regularly to make Fakes, but we use them in salads and in other dishes.  Orzo is one of those pastas that is a nice alternative to rice without feeling heavy like a typical noodle.  There are so many variations to make with either of these ingredients, but when putting these two versatile ingredients together in one dish, it is a thrill to have one masterpiece.  Oh, and the onion, well, if you haven't noticed, onions go in most Greek recipes.

For this recipe, you will need the following:

1 cup lentils

1 cup orzo

1/2 onion, chopped

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp oil

about 2 cups water

sal and pepper

chopped parsley to garnish

Start by washing the lentils.  Wash them and sort them to remove any stones or bad lentils.  Then, put them in a pot to boil.  You want to boil until the lentils are just more than half way cooked.  Rinse the lentils and drain all the brown water.  Then, return them to the pot and get the onions ready.

In a separate pan, sauté the onions and caramelize them.  That means cook the onions long enough that they become soft and golden brown.  We diced our onion, in the past we have sliced it in small slices and that worked better for caramelizing, but it is your choice.  Once the onions start to gain colour, add the garlic and cook it fully with the onions.  This will take a few minutes.

Once the onions are ready, turn off the heat and leave them in the pan.  We want to put the water in the pot with the lentils, and bring that to a boil one more time.  Add the orzo to the boiling lentils.  Then, add the onions to the lentils/orzo pot.   Mix this all together to make sure that all three ingredients are well distributed.

Next, cook this on a medium heat, stirring occasionally until the orzo and the lentils are fully cooked.  If you need to add a little more water because all the liquid has been absorbed, then do so, but you have to stir every few minutes so nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.

Adjust the seasoning to your liking.  We use only salt and pepper.  Our friends would add a bit of tomato paste here, but we like it without.  You could also squeeze a bit of lemon juice to lighten up the flavours, but we like it just a little salt and pepper so we can taste the onions and the garlic.  Sprinkle with some chopped parsley before serving, and enjoy this dish hot.

It is a 30 minute meal if you like, or a dish that can be made in advance and served at room temperature.  You will find whatever variation works for you.  If Cypriots can have this light and healthy meal regularly, so could we!


“Happiness can only be achieved by looking inward & learning to enjoy whatever life has and this requires transforming greed into gratitude.”

-St. John Chrysostomos

Source of quote: https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/4589154.John_Chrysostom