This rice with lentils reminds me of my friend Gulseren Shariff and her family. We were very good friends, we were classmates at the university in London. We spent all day laughing of everything we saw. She invited me and my husband to eat dinner with her family. It was a beautiful opportunity to meet her parents and their servant. They were from Lebanon living in England as refugees from the war.

Her father Doctor Zaki Shariff asked for political refuge to Englad. He was a doctor in the lebanese civil war they were having in 1980. The sad thing is that one soldier friend of Doctor Zaki, when he knew his friend was coming to England, pleaded to Doctor Zaki not to abandon him. He promised him he was going to be his servanjt the rest of his life.

They obtained the refuge, and the soldier came to live to England, and he was the best chef I have know in my life. I don't dare to imitate his cuisine because I won't get near, but he prepared for us a lentil rice that I can't forget. He served us about 5 dishes and accompanied them with hot lemons, yogurt dips etc. Hence I am going to prepare the lentil rice with what I have at home, and I prepare the 7 lebanese species with what I have at hand.

Preparation of the lebanese seven spices:

I used ginger powder, grounded black pepper, cinnamon powder , cloves powder, nutmeg powder, and ground coriander seeds. Used little of cloves because it is invasive in flavour and taste. Mix well , and adjust the specie you want more.

Ingredients for the rice:

• 3 cups of rice
• 1 cup of brown round lentils
• 1 onion
• garlic
• 1 teaspoon of lebanese seven spices
• 2 chillies
• water
• salt at taste

This is the recipe I always prepare, but today I am using 1/2 cup of lentils because my son can't each much of these.

Preparation of rice:

• wash the lentils and soak them for 2 hours
• wash well
• cook them until soft
• finely cut the onion, garlic and chillies and fry in olive oil
• once done it add the lentil and the rice
• add the species and adjust the salt
• when the water dries, low the flame and cover
• cook for 20 minutes more

Ingredients for the pork chops

• 2 smoked pork chops
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• ground cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoon of olive oil
• adjust salt but careful because the smoked chops sometimes are salted

Preparation:

• plce the pan on the fire
• add the oil
• marinate the chops with the cumin and the honey
• fry until golden

Serve the pork chops on the rice with salad, vegetables or anything you prefer.