Guyanese Metemphy Rice with Lentils
A warming, one-pot Guyanese comfort dish of fluffy white rice and tender red lentils infused with turmeric, garlic, and coconut milk. Metemphy is a humble everyday meal with deep roots in Guyanese home cooking, delivering warm spice and creamy richness in every spoonful.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 28 min
- Wait
- 5 min
- Total
- 43 min
- Makes
- 4 servings (about 1½ cups per person)
Steps
Before you start
- Rinse white rice and red lentils separately under cold water until the water runs clear
- Measure all ingredients before starting—the stovetop cooking moves quickly
- Use a pot with a tight-fitting lid so steam doesn't escape during cooking
Heat oil and bloom spices
- Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
- Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add ¾ teaspoon (3 g) turmeric and ½ teaspoon (2 g) cumin, stirring constantly for 30 seconds so the spices are fully coated in oil and the flavor blooms without burning.
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Ready when: Spices smell fragrant and toasted
Tip: Do not let the garlic or spices brown or they will taste bitter. Keep the heat at medium and stir constantly.
Add rice and lentils
- Pour in 1.5 cups (300 g) rinsed white rice and 0.5 cup (100 g) rinsed red lentils.
- Stir well to coat all the grains and lentils with the oil and spices, about 2 minutes.
- The rice should look glossy and golden.
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Ready when: Rice and lentils are evenly coated and glossy
Tip: This toasting step helps the rice kernels stay separate and prevents mushy rice. Do not skip it.
Add liquid and bring to boil
- Pour in 1 cup (240 ml) coconut milk and 1.5 cups (360 ml) water.
- Add 1 teaspoon (6 g) salt.
- Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, about 3 to 4 minutes.
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Ready when: Mixture reaches a rolling boil with steam rising
Tip: If using canned coconut milk, stir the can well first—the cream and liquid separate as it sits.
Reduce heat and simmer covered
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low (just a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil).
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
- Simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, the rice and lentils should be tender, the liquid mostly absorbed, and the top studded with steam holes.
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Ready when: Grains are tender, most liquid is absorbed, and steam holes appear in the rice
Tip: Resist the urge to lift the lid and stir. Steam escaping will increase cooking time and result in dry or undercooked rice.
Rest and fluff
- Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- This allows any remaining liquid to be fully absorbed and the rice to firm up slightly.
- Using a wooden spoon, gently fluff the rice and lentils by lifting and turning them from bottom to top.
- Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
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Ready when: Rice is fluffy and grains are separate; all liquid is absorbed
Tip: Use a gentle fluffing motion rather than aggressive stirring to keep the grains intact.
Garnish and serve
- Transfer to a serving bowl or individual plates.
- Top with thinly sliced scallions and chopped fresh cilantro if desired.
- Serve warm.
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Tip: Fresh herbs brighten the warm, earthy flavors of the dish and add a pleasant crunch.
Good to know
Tips
- For a brothier consistency, increase the water to 2 cups (480 ml) and reduce the cooking time slightly to 18 minutes, checking at 15 minutes for tenderness.
- If you have access to Guyanese seasoning blends (such as those with turmeric, coriander, and fennel), you can substitute ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) of the blend for the individual turmeric and cumin.
- Serve alongside stewed chicken, curried meat, or grilled fish to round out a complete meal.
- Metemphy is traditionally a humble, simple dish—resist over-complicating it. The beauty lies in the balance of coconut richness, warm spice, and fluffy rice-lentil texture.
Storage & reheating
Store leftover metemphy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, add a splash of water (2–3 tablespoons) and warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, about 3–5 minutes, until heated through. You can also microwave in a covered bowl on 50% power for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway through. The dish does not freeze well because the rice texture becomes mushy when thawed.
Substitutions
- red lentils → yellow lentils (moong dal). Yellow lentils have a slightly sweeter flavor and similar cooking time. They work beautifully in this dish and are common in Guyanese cooking.
- white rice, long-grain → brown rice or jasmine rice. Brown rice will need 5–10 extra minutes of cooking and slightly more water (add 3–4 tablespoons). Jasmine rice adds a subtle floral note but may be slightly softer.
- coconut milk, full-fat → heavy cream or cashew cream (2 tablespoons coconut milk + ¾ cup water + 2 tablespoons heavy cream). If you cannot find coconut milk, cream adds richness, though the traditional coconut flavor will be less pronounced. Adjust to taste.
- ground cumin → coriander (ground). Coriander brings a warmer, slightly citrusy note. Use the same amount and bloom it with the turmeric.
