Description
Mujadara is a comforting dish made with lentils and rice, topped with caramelized onions, that transforms simple ingredients into a delightful meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup Dried lentils (typically green or brown)
- 3 cups Water (for cooking rice)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (for cooking lentils)
- 3 cups Water (for cooking lentils)
- ¾ teaspoon Salt (for sautéing onions)
- ½ cup Basmati rice (rinsed)
- 4 large Onions (white or yellow)
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil (for sautéing onions)
- 1 tablespoon Sugar (for caramelization)
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar (apple cider or balsamic)
- 2 cloves Garlic (pressed or grated)
- 4 scallions chopped (for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Coriander
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon Red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
- ⅛ teaspoon Black pepper (freshly ground)
- ¼ cup Flat-leaf parsley (chopped)
- ¼ cup Cilantro (optional, chopped)
- 1 lemon wedges (for serving)
- 1 cup Yogurt or tahini sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Thinly slice the 4 large onions. In a pan, sauté them in 1 tablespoon olive oil with ¾ teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of water to the sautéed onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes until the liquid evaporates and the onions become tender and golden.
- Increase the heat to high, add 1 tablespoon vinegar, and stir for 2 minutes. Once caramelized, turn off the heat and set them aside.
- In a separate pot, bring 4 cups of water with 1 teaspoon salt to a boil. Add 1 cup of rinsed dried lentils and simmer for 15-30 minutes until tender but still intact. Drain and set aside.
- In another pot, boil 3 cups of water with ½ teaspoon salt. Add ½ cup of rinsed basmati rice and boil on low heat for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet. Add the 4 chopped scallions and sauté for 2 minutes. Then, toss in 2 cloves of pressed garlic, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon turmeric (if using), and ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1 more minute until fragrant.
- Stir in the cooked lentils, rice, half of the caramelized onions, 2 tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley, 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro (if using), ½ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper. Sauté for a few minutes until everything is warm and well combined. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Transfer the mixture to a large platter, topping it with the remaining caramelized onions, scallion tops, and parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a bowl of yogurt or yogurt tahini sauce on the side.
Notes
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 plate
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg