Mujaddara

This is something we adapted from watching a popular cooking show on public television.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups  lentils (not french)
  • 1 1/4 cups basmati rice
  • 1/2 large onion chopped
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp allspice
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups crispy onions
Sauce
  • 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 tsp salt

How to make it

  1. Bring lentils, 4 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until lentils are tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain and set aside. While lentils cook, place rice in medium bowl and cover by 2 inches with hot tap water; let stand for 15 minutes.
  2. Using your hands, gently swish rice grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Add cold tap water to rice and pour off water. Repeat adding and pouring off cold tap water 4 to 5 times, until water runs almost clear. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer.
  3. Heat 2 Tbsp lite oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Make a space in the middle and add coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and cayenne to the oil and onion juice that pools in the middle.
  4. Let the spices bloom for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and mix it together with the other spices then add the strained rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups water, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.
  5. Whisk together the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice and salt in a bowl and set aside.
  6. Off heat, remove lid, fold dish towel in half, and place over pot; replace lid. Let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and lentils with fork and stir in cilantro and half of crispy onions.
  7. Serve with a dollop of garlic yogurt sauce and more crispy onions.

Leave a Comment