Mujadara

Submitted by: Rich

Attributed to: Cook’s Illustrated

Category: Vegetarian Mains

Description: A bit time intensive, this recipe makes a lot of healthy and yummy food.  The rice and lentil mixture is full of smoky, warm flavors, and the crispy onions provide a nice bit of acid and crunch.  The yogurt brings the whole thing together.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 60-75 minutes (depends on how much you can do in parallel)

Servings: 6-8

Difficulty rating: 3

Ingredients:

Yogurt sauce

1 Cup plain whole milk yogurt

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 Teaspoon minced garlic and 1/2 Teaspoon salt

Fried onions

2 Pounds onions, halved and sliced crosswise into  1/4“ pieces

2 Teaspoons salt

1 1/2 Cup vegetable oil

Rice & lentils

1 1/4 Cups green or brown lentils (Do NOT substitute smaller French lentils)

1 1/4 Cups rice

3 Cloves garlic, minced

1 Teaspoon ground coriander and 1 Teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 Teaspoon ground allspice and 1/2  Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon cayenne 

1 Teaspoon sugar

3 Teaspoon minced cilantro (optional)

3 Tablespoons oil reserved from fried onions

Special tools/utensils needed:

Dutch oven (recommended for making onion crisps and combining the rice & lentils)

Baking sheet lined with paper towel

Directions: 

Yogurt sauce

1. Mix all ingredients and set aside.

2. Refrigerate while preparing rice and lentils.

Fried onion crisps

1. Chop onions and mix with salt in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes (stir after 2 1/2 minutes).

2. Rinse thoroughly and dry onions well on a paper towel lined baking sheet.

3. Put onions in dutch oven, cover with oil.

4. Cook on medium / medium-high until brown (25+ minutes, depending on size of onion pieces).

5. Drain onions and transfer to a paper towel lined baking sheet.

6. Reserve 3 Tablespoons oil to use in rice and lentils.

Rice & lentils

1. Boil lentils in 4 cups of water, cover & simmer for 15-17 minutes (until lentils fork tender).

2. Drain lentils, set aside.

3. Wash rice by putting in a bowl covered in hot water for 15 minutes.

4. Drain rice and do more washes with cold water until water runs clear (no waiting).

5. Heat some oil from onions + spices + garlic for 2 minutes in dutch oven.

6. Add rice, mix & cook until rice is translucent (~ 3 minutes).

7. Add 2 1/4 cups water + sugar, bring to boil.

8. Add lentils, bring to boil.

9. Reduce heat to low, cover & cook until all liquid is absorbed (~12-20+ minutes).

To serve: top rice & lentil mixture with yogurt sauce & fried onion crisps to taste.