I make a lentil salad with a red wine vinaigrette that would be pretty awful heated up.

Here is a nice recipe for what you ate. I like it without spices, but with good olive oil & onions. So you could reduce the cumin and the spices or just do without them, just salt & pepper. I also throw the fried onions and the olive oil in which they were fried together with the rice. Eat with tzatziki or with salad as I mentioned up thread.

https://littlesunnykitchen.com/mujaddara/

Either way. You could heat it up or eat it cold.

I like it hot and eat as side either tzatziki or salad from tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, some mint and dressed with olive oil and lemon.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I heated it up, and it smelled and tasted awful. It was the rice pilaf - there was something in it that was terrible. The lentils and slivered almonds were fine. I have had rice pilaf in the past and liked it, so there was something in this one that ruined the whole thing.

Oh no. Rice pilaf is usually very bland and innocuous!

For lentils and rice, I would add, based on your preferences

Butter
Garlic butter
Sweet chili sauce — yes. Or hot sauce
Sausage - a natural with lentils. Brown and add the sausage and juice
Caramelized onions in butter

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I heated it up, and it smelled and tasted awful. It was the rice pilaf - there was something in it that was terrible. The lentils and slivered almonds were fine. I have had rice pilaf in the past and liked it, so there was something in this one that ruined the whole thing.

You probably didn't like one of the spices. Is there someone with a good palate there who could taste it and tell you what it was? (I'm betting it was cumin or coriander).

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who doesn't like sweet chili sauce is missing out on one of the best things in life.

Heh. Thank you. I find it’s the solution to a lot of food issues.

OP here. I heated it up, and it smelled and tasted awful. It was the rice pilaf - there was something in it that was terrible. The lentils and slivered almonds were fine. I have had rice pilaf in the past and liked it, so there was something in this one that ruined the whole thing.

Cold. I would add hot sauce too, probably.

Anyone who doesn't like sweet chili sauce is missing out on one of the best things in life.

Anonymous wrote:Try it both ways!

"Lentil salad two ways" (or you can add a third way and put sweet chili sauce on it!) Sounds great.

You clearly don't know anything about picky eaters, do you?

Try it both ways!

"Lentil salad two ways" (or you can add a third way and put sweet chili sauce on it!)

Sounds great.

I would eat it cold.

I am a picky eater and my DD thinks it's funny to pick items out for me at the grocery store and see if I'll eat them and like them (she has permission). She picked a lentil salad from the refrigerated section. It looks like rice pilaf or orzo with lentils mixed in. I unpacked and put it in our refrigerator when we got home. Now I want to eat it. Do you eat this cold, or do I heat it in the microwave first? Thanks!