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For the tomato sauce (can be prepared the day before and heated in microwave before serving): Stir-fry 1 minced onion with 2 cloves minced garlic in a pot with 1 tablespoon of oil.
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When soft and translucent, add diced tomatoes.
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Add 1 cup water and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Blend the sauce in blender (or use immersion blender) until smooth and return to heat.
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Boil for 5 minutes to thicken a bit.
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Add salt and pepper to taste.
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For the fried onions: Slice 2-3 onions very thinly, season with 1 teaspoon salt, and mix well to separate the onion layers.
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Fry on medium high in the widest pan you have in at about 1/4 cup oil.
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Keep stirring until very dark brown, almost black.
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Remove the now fluffy and crunchy onions with a slotted spoon to absorbent paper.
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Dont get rid of remaining oiluse it over pasta (see below).
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This process stinks up the house, so run your fan!
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For the rice: Saute rice and 1 teaspoon salt in 1 teaspoon oil over high heat to coat and heat.
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Add 4 cups hot (boiling) water, bring to boil.
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Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2030 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
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(Or, just make rice the way you normally do, even in a rice cooker is fine.
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Theres nothing fancy about the rice.)
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For the lentils: Boil lentils in 4 cups water until tender, about 1520 minutes, until tender.
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Strain and season with salt and pepper.
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For the pasta: Boil pasta with salt added to water until just al dente; dont overcook.
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Rinse and strain, and mix with 1 tablespoon oil (fried onion oil if you have it!)
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and 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional).
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For the chickpeas (the easiest part of the recipe!
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): Open can and rinse under cold water.
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For the hot paprika sauce (can be prepared the day before, no re-heating needed): Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a small pan.
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Remove from heat, mix hot paprika, plus a pinch or two of crushed red pepper flakes, to your heat tolerance.
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Add 3 tablespoons of the prepared tomato sauce and mix well.
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Serve in a small dish as a side topping.
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For the garlic lemon sauce (best prepared the day before, but can be made the day of): Whisk together 3 minced garlic cloves with white vinegar, lemon juice, cumin powder and coriander powder.
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Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and serve in a small dish as a side topping.
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To serve, layer your bowl or plate in this order: pasta, rice, lentils, tomato sauce, chickpeas, fried onions, hot paprika sauce (optional), lemon garlic sauce (optional).
