After having cleaned and rinsed the lentils in a strainer, put them in a pot, add water until covered, and boil them for about 3 – 5 minutes.
Strain the lentils and rinse them again with plenty of water. Put them again in the pot filled with 5 cups of water and boil them on medium heat for about 15 – 20 minutes (depending on how easily they get boiled).
In a nonstick frying pan, add Horio Koroneiki variety olive oil and sauté the onions and the garlic chopped for 5 minutes, until they turn golden.
Add the rice and stir for 1 – 2 minutes.
Get the pan off the heat, and transfer the rice to the pot with the lentils.
Add salt, pepper, cumin, tomato paste, bay leaves and water (depending on how clotted we want them to be). Cover it and boil over medium-low heat, for about 20 – 25 minutes. While boiling, keep stirring until the mixture remains with the least of its fluids.
