Mujadarra (Middle Eastern Lentil and Rice Recipe)
Mujaddara is a rustic and very humble looking vegan rice and lentil dish that is enjoyed throughout the Middle East.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 2 large onions
- 125 ml vegetable oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 100 g brown lentils
- 100 g green lentils
- 200 g basmati rice
- 1 tsp salt (omit if using stock)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 750 ml water (vegetable or chicken stock can also be used)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp EV olive oil
- lemon wedges
Instructions
- 1
Peel, halve, then thinly slice the onions.
- 2
Heat the oil in a large frying pan on medium heat and add the sliced onions and ⅛ tsp of salt or a generous sprinkling.
- 3
After 10 minutes, redeuce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 45 - 60 minutes until the onions are a a medium to dark brown colour.In the meantime, we'll get the lentil and rice going.
- 4
Place the lentils and rice in a large saucepan, along with the water, salt and cumin.
- 5
Bring it to a boil on medium heat. Skim off any scum that floats to the top.Keep cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed and you see little steam vents on the surface (see video).Don't forget to keep stirring the onions.
- 6
Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes.When done, take it off the hot hob and wait for the onions to get done.
- 7
When the onions are done, reserve ¼ of them.Then, tip the rest onto the rice, along with all the flavoured oil in the pan.
- 8
Drizzle the olive oil and squeeze the lemon juice all over.
- 9
Using a fork, fluff up the rice and stir the onions, oil and juice through the mujaddara.Serve as suggested above.