Mauritian Lentils and Rice

Ingredients
Serves 6 - Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

(1 ½) cups lentils, rinsed and drained
(6) oz of bacon, chopped (thick unsliced bacon or lardons is better if you can find it)
(1) tbls virgin olive oil
(1) onion, diced
(1) inch piece of ginger, minced
(1) tsp dried thyme
(2) tsp honey
(1) 15 oz can tomato sauce
(1) 15 oz diced tomatoes
Salt & pepper, to taste
(6) eggs, fried over easy

To cook the lentils on a stove top, place rinsed lentils in a pot with double the amount of water (do not add salt as this will toughen the lentils). Bring water to a boil, cover and lower heat to simmer for about 15 minutes until lentils are tender. At the same time, in a separate pot render the bacon. Add onions, ginger, honey & thyme and sauté until slightly caramelized. Add in diced tomatoes & tomato sauce, simmer for 10 minutes. Add in cooked lentils and simmer for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over a bed of cooked basmati rice with a fried egg placed on top. Add some cucumber chutney on the side for a crisp contrasting flavor profile - https://www.thehappycaravan.com/recipes/cucumber-chutney (known as Satini Concombre in Mauritius).