butter & lentil rice | pe htaw bhut htamin

Rice is an essential part of a Burmese meal and on special occasions, like birthdays and anniversaries, we make butter and lentil rice to eat with rich meaty curries. The fragrant rice is a welcome alternative to plain rice. It can also be eaten on its own with some dried shrimp relish or crispy onions.

ingredients

200g basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon butter
35g split dried chana dal, soaked for 8 hours
½ teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
400ml water
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick

method

Wash the chana dal and pick out any debris or dirt and drain well. In a saucepan, layer the rice then the chana dal. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and bring to the boil. Keep an eye on it so the rice doesn’t bubble over.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the dal is cooked. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

serves: 2-3
cooking time: 25 mins