Be taught to make agenuine Lebanese mujadara (lentil and rice pilaf with caramelized onions) with my step-by-step directions for achievement!
Mujadara is, in a nutshell, our Lebanese favourite. The flavour of this basic pilaf is mouth-watering and so satisfying too. Every ingredient in mujadara has a excessive dietary worth: lentils are a wonderful supply of fiber and, along with rice or bulgur, the mix makes a “good protein”.
Whereas mujadara will be present in most Lebanese cookbooks as a vegetarian specialty for seasons like Lent and Ramadan, the dish is so scrumptious that it is a year-round staple. Right here, I discover myself doing mujadara nearly each week! It retains so nicely and is simply as scrumptious heat the day it’s made as leftover, eaten chilly, at room temperature or reheated.
Mujadara makes a improbable base for bowl-style meals or a pita wrap. Replenish on flavors like labneh (Lebanese thickened yogurt), pink turnip pickles, contemporary mint, cucumbers, tomatoes… you title it!
What’s Genuine Mujadara?
Lebanese Mujadara is a pilaf made with lentils, caramelized onions and rice (or coarse bulgur, which has a wonderful nutty taste and slightly candy). This dish is actually peasant meals, meals that developed out of necessity. However within the palms of Lebanese ladies who, all through historical past, have instinctively identified methods to taste all meals, the components have been remodeled right into a beloved, comforting and scrumptious dish.
Elements to make Mujadara
Lenses.
Lenses. Not simply any will do! Right here we’d like small, onerous brown lentils that can maintain their form. I really like Pardena’s Spanish lentils for mujadara.
Impartial oil.
Why impartial? Onions for mujadara are cooked at excessive warmth till a really deep golden brown. Impartial oil has a excessive smoke level. Due to this fact, impartial oil cooks at a better temperature and for longer. Though we love our evoo, we use it right here as a finisher. Cook dinner the onions with a impartial oil corresponding to pressed rapeseed, safflower or avocado oil.
Yellow onion.
Loads! These big yellow onions that some grocery shops carry are good right here. Or a number of medium or massive onions. 4-6 cups will do.
Rice or coarse bulgur.
We’ve got a division in our household over this! Mother made mujadara with rice. Dad’s household, with coarse bulgur. Each are fabulous. Rice makes mujadara gluten-free. Bulgur offers further protein and fiber. Make your selection. The recipe is similar in all instances.
Salt, pepper and further virgin olive oil for the end.
Attempt Tasty, Unfiltered Further Virgin Olive Oils from Lebanon in my shop here!
How one can make Lebanese mujadara
Here’s a step-by-step information to creating our great lentil and rice pilaf:
- First, simmer the lentils.
Small brown lentils that maintain their form are additionally tougher than commonplace lentils so cook dinner them for a couple of minutes earlier than including them to the mujadara. In a small saucepan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt, convey the lentils to a boil, then simmer till the lentils are half cooked, about 7 minutes.
- Caramelize the onions.
Do that In a big heavy sauté pan or saucepan (with a lid) and cook dinner till the onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes. As soon as the onions start to brown, stand on them, stirring continuously to stop them from burning. Nonetheless, some charring will happen in an effort to brown all of them, which is an effective factor! Sprinkle with a pinch of salt whereas the onions cook dinner.
- Add water to onions.
Add 2 cups of water to the onions, off the warmth to keep away from splattering, and cook dinner for about 5 minutes. The liquid takes on the deep golden shade of the onions and the onions will proceed to melt.
- Add the rice or bulgur and the pre-cooked lentils.
The rice or bulgur are added dry, however the lentils go together with their cooking liquid into the onion combination. Season with salt, pepper and every other spices (cumin or 7 spices are scrumptious right here). Remember to style the cooking liquid and modify seasonings if crucial.
- Cowl and cook dinner.
Cut back warmth to low, cowl pot and simmer till liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are cooked by, about 20 minutes. The completed texture of rice or bulgur and lentils is considerably al dente, with separate granules. Take away from warmth and season to style with salt and pepper.
- Serve and eat!
Serve the mujadara sizzling, heat or at room temperature with a drizzle of olive oil. A dollop of labneh (thickened Lebanese yogurt) is conventional right here. A salad can also be an ideal mujadara facet dish.
How one can serve Mujadara
Mujadara is scrumptious topped with labneh (Greek yogurt), a fried or poached egg, wrapped in pita bread or with an arugula fattoush, or a inexperienced salad of any form.
I prefer to serve mujadara on a platter over an arugula, avocado and tomato salad. It is a lovely and colourful solution to serve mujadara.
Suggestions for doing Mujadara
Deeply caramelize the onions for the richest taste. A number of the onions will burn slightly, and that is okay.
Most grocery shops promote greenish-brown flat lentils or purple lentils. Don’t use them, as they’ll lose their form and will grow to be mushy. For finest outcomes, search for small brown lentils, corresponding to Spanish Pardena. Discover the proper lenses within the store here.
If utilizing bulgur, use coarse bulgur, often called #3. Discover a good coarse bulgur here.
How one can Retailer Lebanese Mujadara
As soon as the mujadara has cooled, retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Lebanese mujadara makes a scrumptious leftover served at room temperature or reheated.
To freeze mujadara, merely retailer it in an hermetic container within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
Extra recipes like this to attempt
That is the story of Mujadara love, or lack thereof!
Wrap Mujadara Pita
Plate of mujadara with arugula and avocado salad
Bulgur and Lentil Soup in Olive Oil with Mint
Genuine Lebanese Mujadara
This pilaf is made with lentils, caramelized onions and rice or coarse bulgur. We are likely to surprise how far the onions must be taken within the caramelization course of. They need to be darkish golden, very darkish. A number of the onions will probably be nearly burnt. However totally burnt onions will produce a bitter mujadara and the onions is not going to ‘soften’ into the lentils and rice as they need to when mushy. Mujadara is scrumptious with labneh, flatbread, a inexperienced salad and, if you wish to get fancy, strings of crispy fried onions on high.
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First, simmer the lentils. Put the lentils in a small saucepan with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Deliver to a boil over excessive warmth. Cut back warmth and simmer till lentils are half cooked, about 7 minutes. Take away from hearth.
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In a big sauté pan or heavy saucepan (with a lid), warmth the canola oil over medium-high warmth. Add the onions and cook dinner till properly browned, about 20 minutes, stirring continuously to stop burning, though some charring will happen to brown all of them. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt whereas the onions cook dinner.
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Take away the onions from the warmth and add 2 cups of water. Return to the warmth and produce to a boil, then decrease the warmth and simmer for five minutes. The liquid will tackle the deep golden shade of the onions and the onions will proceed to melt.
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Add the rice or bulgur and the half-cooked lentils and their cooking juices to the onion combination. Deliver to a boil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Style the cooking liquid and add extra salt and pepper if wanted. Cowl, scale back warmth to low and simmer till liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are cooked by, about 20 minutes. The feel of rice or bulgur and lentils is considerably al dente. Take away from warmth and season to style with salt and pepper. Serve sizzling, heat or at room temperature drizzled with olive oil.
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