Mejadra

Mejadra
  • Low fat
  • Low phosphate
  • Low potassium
  • Low salt
  • Lunch
  • Main meal
  • 30 minutes or less
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A nutritious one-dish rice meal packed with lentils, meat and vegetables.

Chef

Lizzie Morey
Lizzie Morey

A fairly simple supper dish.

Ingredients

250g cooked green or brown lentils (packet or tinned)

2 large brown onions, peeled, halved and finely sliced

2 tablespoons cornflour

100ml sunflower oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 250g pouch ready-cooked basmati rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon curry powder

100ml water

Ground black pepper

200g turkey mince

150g fresh/frozen spinach

100g frozen mixed vegetables

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the sliced onions into a bowl with the cornflour and toss to coat. Heat half of the sunflower oil in a pan over a high heat and cook half of the onions until golden and crispy. Remove from the pan and cook the other half in the same way.

  2. Step 2

    Once all onions are cooked and set aside, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same pan and brown the turkey mince. Once cooked, remove from the pan.

  3. Step 3

    Using the same pan, add in the cumin and coriander seeds and toast for a minute over a medium heat to release the flavours. Next add the chopped spinach and frozen mixed vegetables and cook for 2 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.

  4. Step 4

    Add in the rice, straight from the packet, with the water, cinnamon and curry powder. Cook for 3 minutes.

  5. Step 5

    Mix in the lentils, turkey and ground black pepper and cook until the turkey is thoroughly cooked through.

  6. Step 6

    Finally, add in half of the onions and mix. Serve with the remaining onions sprinkled over the top.

Food facts

The rice is the main source of carbohydrate in this recipe along with some carbohydrate contributed from lentils. The value has been provided for those who have been trained in insulin adjustment.

Despite the use of some high potassium ingredients, such as spinach and lentils, this recipe is low in potassium, when following the quantities in the ingredients, and the serving sizes. Therefore, suitable for those advised to lower potassium in their diet.

This recipe is also low in phosphate, however it does contain some phosphate, mainly provided by the turkey mince and lentils, therefore if you have been prescribed a phosphate binder you should take as directed.

This recipe provides a source of protein. If you wish to eat less protein, consider reducing the meat quantity to 100g and adding more vegetables.

Use gluten-free corn flour.

Replace the turkey with 100g Paneer.

Replace the turkey with 100g tofu.

Try frying the onions in a non-stick pan which will enable you to use less oil to fry or try avoiding adding more oil to fry the mince. Instead make use of the left-over oil in the pan.

This dish is best eaten freshly made.

Try adding finely chopped fresh coriander leaves for more flavour.