Mujadara Rice
Mujadara rice is a cozy Middle Eastern dish made with lentils, rice, and golden fried onions. Easy to make, naturally vegan, and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed well
- ½ cup uncooked lentils (black, brown, or green — or a mix)
- 3 medium yellow onions (450–500 g), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)
- Salt, to taste (added in stages)
- Black pepper, to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- Optional: a pinch of allspice, cinnamon, baharat, or ras el hanout
- 1½ cups water or lentil cooking water (for cooking the rice)
Instructions
Lentils
- Soak the uncooked lentils in a bowl for about 30 minutes.(If using different types, you may soak them separately for even cooking.)
- Cook the soaked lentils in plenty of water until just tender — about 15–20 minutes.
- Add a teaspoon of salt toward the end of cooking, let them go for another 2–3 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Onions
- In a medium pot (even a small 20 cm one works), heat the olive oil.
- Add the sliced onions, salt them, and fry over medium heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and a little crisp.
- Scoop the onions out and set aside. Leave the flavored oil in the pot.
Rice
- Add the ground cumin and any optional spices (allspice, cinnamon, baharat, or ras el hanout) to the onion oil and stir for about 30 seconds.
- Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat in the spiced oil. Toast for about two minutes.
- Pour in the water or lentil cooking water, taste and season with salt, and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Then turn off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
Finish and serve
- Fluff the rice with a fork and gently mix in the lentils and some of the onions.
- Serve warm with the remaining onions on top.
