Herby Rice with Caramelized Onions, Dates, + Almonds
3-4 servings
INGREDIENTS
Uncooked basmati rice or jasmine rice/quinoa
Olive oil
Finely chopped herbs such as dill, parsley, and mint (I did a combination of all three)
Lemon zest and juice
Yellow onion or shallot, thinly sliced
2 large shallots, sliced crosswise
Turmeric (optional)
Dates, thinly sliced
Toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts
Crispy chickpeas (optional)
METHOD
Place 1/2 cup of rice in a pot and fill with water. Rinse well using your hands and then drain the water. Repeat two more times until the water runs more clear. Then, add 3/4 cup of fresh water to the pot along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low covered for 12-15 minutes. Towards the end of the cooking process, check to see if the rice needs more water. Turn the heat off and let the rice steam for another 5 minutes with the lid on. Then, fluff with a fork and add your herbs.
While the rice cooks, caramelize the onions. Heat up a pan and add a generous drizzle of olive oil. Add the onion to the pan and cook for about 15-20 minutes on medium-low until caramelized. I like to add a few dashes of turmeric at the end of the cooking process. Then, add your slivered almonds and dates to the pan and cook for another few minutes.
Then, add the onion-date-almond mixture to the rice along with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon (and chickpeas, if using). Mix everything together and adjust and taste for seasoning (salt? olive oil?). Enjoy!
