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Mujaddara
Mjaddara: brown lentils and rice crowned with sweet, crisp-fried onions
Across the Levant, from Tripoli in northern Lebanon to the villages of the Galilee, mujaddara is the thrifty Friday or Lenten supper that nobody tires of: brown lentils and rice cooked together until soft and earthy, then heaped with a tangle of onions fried until mahogany and crisp. It costs very little, keeps well, and is eaten warm or at room temperature with a cucumber-yogurt salad, plain yogurt for non-vegans, or a sharp cabbage salad. The onions do all the seasoning, so be generous. Chef's tip: fry the onions in batches with room to spare in the pan; crowded onions steam and go soft instead of turning crisp.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
To serve
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 9 oz brown or green lentils in a large pot with two thirds of 0.8 litres water. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then simmer over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the lentils are just tender but still hold their shape.
15 minStep 2: Meanwhile heat ½ cup olive oil in a wide frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add half the 2 onions and fry, stirring often, for 15–20 minutes until deep brown and crisp at the edges. Lift out onto kitchen paper and repeat with the rest of 2 onions. Watch the last few minutes closely: they go from bronze to burnt quickly.
35 minStep 3: Pour 2 tablespoons of the onion oil and a handful of the softer fried onions into the lentil pot. Stir in 2 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground allspice, 1 ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper.
Step 4: Add 5 ½ oz long-grain rice and the remaining 0.4 litres water; the liquid should sit about 1 cm above the rice and lentils. Bring back to the boil, cover tightly and cook over a low heat for 18–20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the surface shows small steam holes.
20 minStep 5: Turn off the heat, lay a clean tea towel under the lid and leave for 10 minutes so the grains firm up. A common mistake is stirring the rice while it cooks; it turns gluey.
10 minStep 6: Fluff with a fork, pile onto a platter and heap the crisp onions on top. Scatter with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and serve with 1 lemon wedges.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mujaddara take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of long-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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