By Florence Fabricant



Curried Red Lentil and Grilled Chicken Casserole

Yield: 6 servings

•   3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil
•   1 cup onion, finely chopped
•   1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
•   1 fresh jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
•   2 cloves garlic, minced
•   1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
•   2 teaspoons ground cumin
•   1 teaspoon ground turmeric
•   1 teaspoon ground coriander
•   2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, coarsely diced
•   4 cups well-flavored chicken stock
•   2 cups dried red lentils (or the lentil of your choice)
•   1½ cups raw basmati rice
•   1 cup plain yogurt
•   1 Tablespoon fresh mint, minced
•   Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat the oil in a large, heavy ovenproof casserole. Add the onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, garlic and ginger and sauté until lightly browned. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, and coriander. Add the chicken to the casserole and cook it briefly, stirring the pieces to sear them. Add the stock and lentils. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole and place it in the oven. Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the lentils are tender.

While the casserole is baking, rinse the rice in cold running water, drain it, and place in a saucepan with two 1/3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a slow simmer, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Set the rice aside in the saucepan, still covered.

Mix the yogurt with the mint. Serve the casserole with the rice and yogurt sauce on the side.