Mumawwash — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A humble yet deeply satisfying Kuwaiti dish of rice and brown lentils cooked together with caramelized onions and warm spices. This pantry staple proves that the simplest ingredients create the most soulful meals.

Ingredients

1.5 cups basmati rice, rinsed
1 cup brown lentils
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 dried lime (loomi)
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1 Rinse lentils and cook in boiling water for 15 minutes until just tender but still holding shape. Drain and set aside.
2 Heat oil in a pot and fry two-thirds of the sliced onions slowly over medium-low heat for 20 minutes until deeply caramelized.
3 Add cumin and turmeric to the caramelized onions and stir for one minute until the spices are fragrant and blooming.
4 Add rinsed rice, cooked lentils, dried lime, salt, and pepper. Pour in water and bring to a boil over high heat.
5 Reduce heat to lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook undisturbed for 18 minutes until the rice is fluffy and tender.
6 Fry remaining onion slices until crispy. Fluff the mumawwash with a fork and top with the crispy onion garnish.

Did You Know?

Mumawwash is lovingly called "poor man's machboos" in Kuwait, but many wealthy Kuwaitis secretly prefer its simple honesty to fancier fare.