Mujadara (Lentils and Rice)
Servings: 4 people
Caramelized Onions
- 4 large (500 grams) onions white or yellow
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) olive oil
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) sugar
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (250 grams) water
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) vinegar apple cider or balsamic
Other Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 grams) dried lentils green or brown + 4 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to cook them
- ½ cup (100 grams) basmati rice + 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt to cook them
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 (4) scallions finely chopped (reserve green tops for garnish)
- 2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic pressed or grated
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) paprika
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) coriander
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) cumin
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) turmeric powder optional, not traditional
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) salt or more to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) black pepper
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) flat-leaf parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) cilantro chopped, optional
Serving Suggestions
- 4 wedges (4 wedges) lemon
- 1 cup (250 grams) yogurt tahini sauce or plain Greek yogurt
- CARAMELIZE ONIONS: Slice 4 large onions thinly (1/5 inch or 1/2 cm).Sauté in 1 tablespoon olive oil with ¾ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar for 5 minutes.Add 1 cup water, reduce heat to medium-low, simmer for 20 minutes until liquid evaporates.Increase heat to high, add 1 tablespoon vinegar, and stir for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
- COOK LENTILS: Boil water (4 cups per 1 cup of lentils). Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup dried lentils (rinsed).Simmer for 15-30 minutes until tender but intact. Drain and set aside.COOK RICE: Boil water (3 cups per 1/2 cup of rice). Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add ½ cup basmati rice (rinsed). Boil on low heat for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- MAKE FLAVOR BASE: Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add 4 scallions (chopped, save the tops for garnishing) and sauté for 2 minutes.Add 2 cloves garlic (pressed), 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and sauté one more minute or until fragrant.Stir in lentils, rice, ½ of the caramelized onions, 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, and 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped), ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.Sauté in the pan for a few minutes until everything is warm and well combined. Taste and adjust for salt.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: We recommend serving it as a centerpiece dish on a large platter, topped with the remaining caramelized onions, scallion tops, and parsley.
- Also, add lemon wedges and a bowl of Greek-style yogurt or yogurt tahini sauce to pair it with.As a side, you can have a refreshing salad like fattoush, Shirazi salad, or cucumber-tomato salad.
