Just as there are umpteenth recipes for chili, so there are for mujaddara—that vegetarian Middle Eastern rice-and-lentil dish topped with crisp-fried onions and tangy yogurt sauce. It borrows ingredients and techniques from cookbook authors like Yotam Ottolenghi and Paula Wolfert, plus skilled home cooks. If you have time, toast the spices whole, then grind them yourself—it’s worth the extra step, but not necessary.
Never heard of Mujaddara? Mujaddara is a signature Middle Eastern dish of lentils, rice, and deeply caramelized onions. A bold and comforting dish that’s typically served with a topping of crispy onion rings and a side of plain yogurt with a fresh Mediterranean salad such as cucumber and tomato salad, fattoush salad, or shirazi salad.
The secret to an authentic mujadara recipe is in the onions. This dish starts and ends with onions. First, deeply caramelized chopped onions are cooked with the rice and lentils, imparting flavor and the deep, golden hue this dish is known for. And to finish your mujaddara, you’ll top the cooked rice and lentils with thinly sliced, crispy onions. Alas, ours never got super crispy, we think due to the skillet not being wide enough. Instead they steamed more than crisped.
Mujaddara (Middle Eastern Rice with Lentils, Frizzled Onions, and Lemony Yogurt Sauce)
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Ground sumac and extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish (optional)
FOR THE RICE AND LENTILS:
- 1 1/2 cups olive or vegetable oil, for frying
- 4 medium onions, (1 1/2 lbs.) halved through the root end then thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed in a strainer until the water runs clear
- 2 tsp. ground coriander
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups brown or green lentils, rinsed and checked for any debris
- Coarsely chopped parsley leaves or cilantro, for garnish
- 4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced (optional)
Directions
- In a small serving bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
- Place the lentils in a small saucepan, cover with plenty of water, bring to a boil, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the lentils have softened but still have a little bite. Drain and set aside.
- To a large pot with a lid, such as a Dutch, add 1½ cups of oil and turn the heat to high. When it’s hot and shimmering, reduce the heat to medium-high, add one-third of the onions, and fry, stirring occasionally with a slotted spoon, until crisp and deep golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the two remaining batches of onions, adding a little extra oil to the pot if needed. When all of the onions have been fried, strain the oil into a heatproof container and set aside.
- To the empty pot, add the coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, cayenne, garlic, and 3 tablespoons of the reserved oil and turn the heat to medium. Cook, stirring continuously, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring continuously, until translucent, about 2 minutes, then add 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir in the lentils and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, cover, and cook until the rice is cooked and has absorbed the water, about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from the stove, lift off the lid, and quickly cover the pan with a clean tea towel. Seal tightly with the lid and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Remove the lid and the dish towel. Stir in half of the reserved onions, fluffing the rice as you go with a fork. Pile the mixture into a serving bowl, then scatter with the remaining onions and garnish with parsley or cilantro and the sliced scallions, if using. Uncover the yogurt sauce, sprinkle with sumac, drizzle with oil, and serve on the side.
Recipe by Jerusalem: A Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Accounting for Taste 