Mujadara

Mujadara

Rice, lentils and burnt onions, one pot, 1 hr, serves 4

Ingredients

brown lentils    200g
basmati rice     200g
onions           4, thinly sliced
olive oil        100ml
ground cumin     2 tsp
ground coriander 1 tsp
cinnamon stick   1
water            900ml
salt             to season
yoghurt          to serve

Same dish as Cypriot moutzentra. Costs about 50p a portion.
The onions are not a garnish. They are the entire flavour of the dish, so don’t rush them.
Vegan if you serve it without the yoghurt.

Recipe

1. Fry the onions slowly in the oil for 25 to 30 minutes, until deep brown and sweet. Lift half out onto kitchen paper.

Low and slow, past golden and into properly brown. This is 90% of the work and all of the taste. If they are still only golden at 25 minutes, keep going.

2. Add to the pot and simmer 15 minutes:

[brown lentils 200g, water 900ml, cinnamon stick 1]

3. Rinse the rice, then stir it in with the spices. Lid on, lowest heat, 15 minutes:

[basmati rice 200g rinsed, ground cumin 2 tsp, ground coriander 1 tsp]

Top up with a splash of water if it looks dry before the rice is done.

4. Off the heat, lid on, rest 10 minutes.

The rest is what finishes the rice. Don’t lift the lid.

5. Fork it through, salt, and pile the reserved onions on top.

Eat with yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon. Good hot or at room temperature.

❄ Freezer
Freeze: cool fully, freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Keep the crisp onions separate, they go soft.
Reheat: from frozen, covered, with a splash of water.

Sources: Feel Good Foodie, Cookie and Kate.