Tag Archives: mujaddara

Mujaddara (Middle Eastern Rice with Lentils, Frizzled Onions, and Lemony Yogurt Sauce)

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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)

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: moderate
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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

  1. In a small serving bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe by Jerusalem: A Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Crisped Onions (Mujaddara)

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Rice and lentils with caramelized onions is a much-loved food in the Middle East. This is Milk Street’s take on the version they tasted in Lebanon, where the dish is called mujaddara. The rice and lentils are simmered together in the same pot, with the lentils getting a 10-minute head start so both finish at the same time.

Meanwhile, the onions are fried until crisp and deeply caramelized—almost burnt, really—to coax out a savory bittersweet flavor. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with a dollop of plain yogurt. It’s a delicious accompaniment to grilled or roasted meats, but it’s hearty enough to be the center of a vegetarian meal.

We took the flavor up a notch by using homemade chicken broth instead of the water. Of course, it’s no longer vegetarian after that, but you could use vegetable or mushroom stock if that is your goal. I must admit, without the pop of green from scallions (and I added a garnish of cilantro), the dish is very bland and brown looking—the taste is anything BUT.

For the uninitiated, lentils are tiny round legumes—aka a seed that grows in a pod—a plant-based protein source that come in a variety of sizes and colors, including black, brown, yellow, red, or green. They’re low in fat, extremely nutrient-dense, and generally pretty affordable to buy, and they pack in a lot of health benefits. They are high in protein, are a good source of iron, and pack a lot of healthy fiber.

Tip: Don’t use French green lentils (Puy lentils) in place of the brown lentils called for. Even when fully cooked, green lentils retain a firm, almost al dente texture, while brown lentils take on a softness that combines well with the rice. Don’t worry if the onions turn quite dark at the edge of the skillet; deep browning is desirable. But do stir the browned bits into the mix to ensure the onions color evenly. However, if the onions brown deeply before they soften, lower the heat a notch or two and keep stirring until the pan cools slightly.

Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Crisped Onions (Mujaddara

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

  • 4 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2½ tsp. ground cumin
  • ½ tsp. ground allspice
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
  • 5 cups water, or choice of stock (we used homemade chicken stock)
  • 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained
  • â…“ cup peanut oil
  • 2 medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
  • Plain whole-milk yogurt, to serve

Directions

  1. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, combine 5 cups water, the garlic, bay, cumin, allspice, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then stir in the lentils and reduce to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat to maintain a simmer, until the lentils are softened but still quite firm at the center, about 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in the rice and return to a simmer. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the lentils and rice are tender, about 25 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook, stirring only occasionally at the start then more frequently once browning begins at the edges of the pan, until the onions are deeply caramelized and crisped, 10 to 15 minutes; adjust the heat if the onions brown too quickly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to a paper towel–lined plate and spread evenly. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and set aside; the onions will crisp as they cool.
  4. When the lentils and rice are tender, remove the pot from the heat. Uncover and lay a kitchen towel across the pan, then replace the lid and let stand for 10 minutes.
  5. Using a fork, fluff the lentils and rice, removing and discarding the bay. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
  6. Stir in half the scallions, then transfer to a serving bowl. Top with the fried onions and remaining scallions.
  7. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature with yogurt on the side.

http://www.lynnandruss.com

Recipe courtesy of 177MilkStreet.com