Coconut rice, Caribbean spiced lentils and a minty grilled pineapple and tomato salsa…
You may have never tried anything quite like it but you are sure to want to try this recipe from Coach Gaz!
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 250ml coconut milk
- 1/2 cup water
- 1.5 cups white or brown rice
- 1 can pineapple slices
- 1 red capsicum
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tomato
- 1 bunch mint
- 1 carrot
- 1 can lentils
- 140g tomato paste
- Caribbean seasoning, or a mix of the following: sweet paprika, allspice, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, black pepper
- 1/2 cube vegetable stock
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 tsp white wine or apple cider vinegar
Method
- In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water (1/2 cup), and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a medium-high heat.
- Add rice to saucepan, stir, cover with lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes and then remove from heat and keep covered until rice is tender and water absorbed – 10 minutes, and don’t peek!
- While the rice is cooking, drain the pineapple slices but set the juice aside to be used later. Heat a non-stick pan over a high heat, add the pineapple slices and cook until lightly charred, 2 – 3 minutes each side. Remove from pan and roughly chop.
- Cut red capsicum into 1cm pieces.
- Finely chop the garlic (or crush).
- Finely chop tomato and mint leaves (reserve a few to garnish).
- Grate the carrot.
- Drain and rinse lentils.
- Return the pan to a medium-high heat, add the capsicum and carrot and cook until softened, 4 – 5 minutes. Add butter, garlic, seasoning and tomato paste and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes.
- Add drained lentils, water (3/4 cup) and vegetable stock cub. Simmer until thickened, about 2 – 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
- While the lentils are cooking, transfer the chopped pineapple to a medium bowl and add the tomato, mint, 1 tbs of pineapple juice and vinegar. Mix well.
- Divide the coconut rice between bowls and top with the lentils and charred pineapple and tomato salsa. Top with a few mint leaves.
