Prepare all the ingredients. Rinse the brown rice and lentils separately. Heat the olive oil in a pot and sauté the onion and garlic until softened, but do not let them brown.

Add the rice and lightly toast it. Stir in the lentils, water, ground ancho chile, cumin, salt, and cilantro sprigs. Mix well.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to very low heat. Brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice. Cook for 30 minutes, then check every 10 minutes until the liquid is absorbed but the rice is not sticking to the bottom. When it looks dry, gently fluff with a fork and let it rest covered for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with a few cilantro leaves.