Lebanese Lentils Mujadara Food

LEBANESE MUJADARA RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils and add to the boiling water for about 15 minutes until they are tender; drain;
• In a heavy pan heat up olive oil, add chopped onions and cook until translucent, 3-4 minutes;
• Add cumin and coriander, mix well;
• Add rice and lentils and coat with onion & spice mixture;
• Add cold water to cover the grains, season with salt and pepper;
• Cook for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed and rice and lentils are soft;
• In the meantime heat up cooking oil, add sliced onion and fry until golden brown and crispy; take out of the pan and dry on paper towel;
• Once rice and lentils are cooked, turn off the heat, add cinnamon, cover and let stand for 10 minutes;
• Place the rice and lentils on a serving dish, top with fried onions and parsley; serve immediately.

MUJADARA (LENTILS AND RICE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS)

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, combine the garlic, bay leaves, cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and about 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Once boiling, stir in the rice and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a controlled simmer, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the lentils and let the mixture return to a simmer. Cover again, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice and lentils are tender, about 20 to 23 minutes.
• Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. When it's warm enough that a slice of onion sizzles on contact, add the remaining onions. Stir to combine.
• Stir only every 3 minutes or so at first, then more often once the onions at the edges of the pan start browning. If the onions are browning before they have softened, dial down the heat to give them more time. Cook until the onions are deeply caramelized and starting to crisp at the edges, about 20 to 30 minutes. In the meantime, line a large plate or cutting board with a couple paper towels.
• Using a slotted spoon or fish spatula, transfer the onions to the lined plate and spread them evenly across. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over the onions. They'll crisp up as they cool.
• When the lentils and rice are done cooking, drain off any excess water (if there is any) and return the mixture to the pot, off the heat. Lay a kitchen towel across the top of the pot to absorb steam, then cover the pot and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid, discard the bay leaves, and smash the garlic cloves against the side of the pan with a fork. Add about 3/4ths of the green onions and cilantro, reserving the rest for garnish. Gently stir and fluff the rice with a fork. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Transfer the rice and lentil mixture to a large serving platter or bowl. Top with the caramelized onions and the remaining green onions and cilantro. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, with yogurt and spicy sauce (optional) on the side.

MUJADARA

Steps:

• Saute onion in oil until caramelized (about 50 minutes).
• While onions are cooking place lentils in saucepan and cover with water by an inch. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Drain lentils and set aside.
• When onions are ready stir in rice, lentils, salt and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer.
• Simmer for 40 minutes or until rice is tender.

MUJADDARA ARABIC LENTIL RICE

Steps:

• Combine the lentils, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt, the cumin, and garlic powder in a pot over medium heat; bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cook until the lentils begin to soften, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Stir the rice, 3/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, and the olive oil into the lentils. Cover the pot and continue cooking until the lentils and rice are tender, about 40 minutes.
• Heat the cooking oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook the onions in the oil until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Spread the onions over the rice and lentil mixture to serve.

LEBANESE MUJADARA

Steps:

• In a wide non stick pan, add the sliced onions and the olive oil. Turn the heat high for the first 2-3 minutes then reduce to the lowest setting and caramalise for 35-40 minutes, sautéing every few minutes so as not to burn on one side.
• Soak the rice in water for around half an hour and set aside
• Wash the lentils and add to a pot along with the 5 cups of water
• Bring the lentils to the boil then reduce to medium heat while they cook
• After 20 minutes of the lentils cooking, check one and if it is nearly done, add the drained cup of rice
• Add the salt and spices, a quarter of the onions as well as any excess oil from the onions which should be nearly done by now.
• Cover the rice with a lid and cook for another 20 minutes on low. Taste and adjust the salt as necessary.
• Serve with salad or yoghurt.

MUJADARA (LEBANESE LENTILS AND RICE)

Steps:

• Over high heat olive oil in pot and add finely sliced onion, fry until dark brown, set onion aside
• In the same pot, using same oil fry finely diced onion until lightly golden
• Add lentils and salt. Submerge in water (covering lentils at least 1cm above), cook on med-high heat until lentils are par boiled
• Add rice and bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and allow contents to cook, stirring no more than three times. This should take around 15 minutes
• Serve topped with caramelised onion

MUJADARA: LENTILS AND RICE WITH CRISPY ONIONS

Steps:

• Place the lentils in a small saucepan with 2 cups of the water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat and simmer, cover until the lentils are par-boiled (10-12 minutes). Remove from the heat, drain the lentils and set them aside.
• In a large saute pan with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until the onions are dark golden brown, darker than typical caramelized onions (about 40 minutes), sprinkle the onions with a teaspoon of salt as they cook.
• Carefully pour the remaining 2 cups of water, bring the water to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir the rice and par-cooked lentils into the onion mixture. Add a good dash of kosher salt, black pepper, and the cumin.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice and lentils are both cooked through (about 15 to 20 minutes).
• If you are adding the the fried onions, work on them while the rice and lentils are cooking. In a large skillet, heat about 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. When a small piece of onion bubbles vigorously, the oil is ready. Fry the onions in batches until they are crispy and deeply golden brown. Transfer the crispy onion rings to a paper towel-lined plate to get rid of excess oil.
• Let the rice and lentils rest covered for about 10 minutes undisturbed, then garnish with parsley and transfer to serving bowls. Top each bowl with the crispy onion rings.

LEBANESE MUJADARA

Steps:

• Rinse lentils, strain and place in a large pot with 5 cups of water. Bring mixture to a boil, simmer and cook covered until the lentils are tender but not fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed.
• Rinse the rice, then transfer to the pot of lentils and season with salt. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Allow the rice to rest in the pot for about 5 minutes, without opening the lid, to absorb all the liquid and steam.
• In a separate large pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat and fry the chopped onions until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer on top of the lentils and rice mixture, add cumin and toss to combine.
• In the same large pan used to cook the onions, heat the remaining olive oil on medium heat and fry the sliced onions until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. In the last couple minutes of frying the onions, you can turn up the heat to high to get a crispy texture.
• Serve the caramelized onions on top of mujadara with yogurt and mint, if desired,

LEBANESE-STYLE MEATBALLS WITH MUJADARA

Steps:

• Tip the lamb into a bowl with ¼ of the chopped onion, the garlic, ½ tsp cumin, the lemon zest and some black pepper. Mix well with your hands, then shape into 16 small meatballs. Chill for at least 30 mins.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Reserve most of the remaining chopped onion for the salad, then fry the rest for 5 mins until golden. Stir in the remaining cumin, then tip in the rice, bouillon powder, 500ml water and some black pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer, then cover and cook over a medium heat for 30 mins. Tip in the lentils, cover again and cook for 5-10 mins more until the rice is tender and all the water has been absorbed.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and sliced onion, cover and cook for 5 mins. Stir, then cook for 5 mins more until the meatballs are cooked through and the onions are golden. Stir the tahini and lemon juice together with 3-4 tbsp water to make a sauce.
• Mix all of the salad ingredients with the reserved chopped onion. If you're following our Healthy Diet Plan, divide half of the mujadara between two plates and top with half of the meatballs and onions. Spoon over half of the tahini sauce and serve with half of the salad, two lemon wedges and a few mint leaves. Cover and chill the remaining portions to eat another day. Will keep for two to three days in the fridge.

MUJADARA

Steps:

• Place the oil and onions into a medium saucepan. Toss a few times to coat the onions and place the pot over medium low heat.
• Allow the onions to cook for 45 to 60 minutes, until they're caramelized and slightly browned.
• While the onions cook, place the lentils in medium saucepan. Cover them with water and place the pot over high heat.
• Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat and allow it to simmer for until the lentils are tender (about 20 minutes for brown lentils, 40 for green).
• Remove the pot from heat and drain the lentils into a colander. Set them aside.
• When the onions have finished caramelizing, remove half of them from the pot and transfer them to a plate.
• Raise the heat beneath the onions to medium, add the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, and cook 1 minute more, until very fragrant.
• Stir in the broth and rice.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, lower the heat and cover. Allow the mixture to simmer until the rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed, 15-20 minutes.
• Remove the pot from heat and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
• Stir the lentils, lemon juice and cilantro into the pot with the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You can also add extra lemon juice if you'd like.
• Divide the mujadara onto plates and top with the reserved caramelized onions.

LEBANESE LENTILS (MUJADARA)

Steps:

• Heat oil in pan.
• add onions, and cook on medium high heat until they are brown- stir occasionally.
• stir in rice and lentils, mix in with onions.
• add water.
• add salt, mix contents.
• cover and simmer.
• This will take over an hour. The water will be absorbed into rice and lentils. Make sure they are soft. Sometimes you may need to add a little more water. Stir occasionally.
• Best if served in a shallow bowl, and let sit for 10 minutes or so. Enjoy warm or cold.

LEBANESE MUJADARA

Steps:

• In a skillet, heat one tablespoon of oil with one teaspoon of cumin and finely sliced onions. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Then, remove the lid and let the onions carmelise for 10 more minutes while stirring.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil and spices in a large pan. Add the lentils, rice, and sizzle until well coated.
• Then, pour in the stock and simmer for 25 minutes until the water has been absorbed.
• Stir in the caramelized onions and serve with fresh coriander.

LEBANESE LENTILS, RICE AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS (MUJADARA)

Steps:

• Throw the lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, as the lentils cook, grab a large skillet. Pop it over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow the oil to warm for a minute, then drop in the cumin seeds and cracked peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan once in a while until the cumin seeds darken a touch, about 1 minute.
• Add the onions, sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. You'll know they're done both by their deep chestnut color and by the slight crispiness developing on some of the onions.
• Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, cayenne and then add the cinnamon stick; saute about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring often (but gently so you don't break the rice!) until some rice grains start to brown. Quickly, add the cooked lentils, 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. The water should be completely evaporated and rice should be tender. (If there's still too much water in the bottom, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)
• Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts, if using, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, about 5 minutes.
• Taste the rice for seasoning. Serve with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts, if using, and a little squeeze of lemon juice. I also like to serve this with some dollops of Greek yogurt.