Mujaddara — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A comforting pilaf of green lentils and rice crowned with shatteringly crisp caramelized onions. This ancient dish proves that the humblest pantry staples can create something deeply satisfying and richly flavored.

Ingredients

1.5 cups green or brown lentils
1 cup long-grain rice, rinsed
4 large onions, thinly sliced into half-moons
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups water
1 tsp salt
Vegetable oil for frying onions
Plain yogurt for serving

Instructions

1 Rinse lentils and cook in 3 cups of water for 15-20 minutes until just tender but not mushy. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
2 Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet. Fry sliced onions slowly over medium heat for 20-25 minutes until deeply golden and crispy.
3 In a large pot, heat olive oil and toast cumin, allspice, and cinnamon for one minute until fragrant and blooming.
4 Add the rinsed rice and cooked lentils to the pot. Pour in reserved lentil water to cover by 1cm. Season with salt.
5 Bring to a boil, then reduce to lowest heat, cover tightly, and cook 18 minutes undisturbed until rice is fluffy and tender.
6 Fluff with a fork, mound on a serving platter, and top generously with the crispy fried onions. Serve with yogurt on the side.

Did You Know?

Mujaddara is believed by some scholars to be the "mess of pottage" for which Esau sold his birthright in the Book of Genesis.