Mujadara or Mejadra is a popular Middle Eastern dish of spiced basmati rice mixed with lentils and crispy fried onions.
Traditionally the spices and rice are cooked in the same pan, but I've struggled with this method as my rice always seems to overcook! I therefore cook the rice and then mix it with the sauteed spices, in a similar way that you'd make a Tarka and then add it to a dal.
I use a tin of puy lentils, but if you have the time, then it's more traditional to cook them from scratch. Similarly, you can now buy the crispy onions from numerous supermarkets, although I still like to make my own.
Mujadara is a delicious side that would go well with many Middle Eastern dishes including my Cumin, lemon and garlic chicken and Salata Falahiyeh (Palestinian farmers salad).
Serves 4
For the crispy onions (if making)
250ml sunflower oil
1 large white onion
Salt
For the rice
1 tablespoon of olive oil?
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
1 teaspoons of cumin seeds
1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
200g basmati rice
1 400g tin of puy lentils (or green lentils if you can't find puy)
Seasoning
To make the crispy onions
- Thinly slice the onions. Season with salt and mix well.
- Heat the olive oil in a deep pan.
- Once the oil is very hot, add ½ the sliced onion. Stir from time to time and watch for the onion to turn golden brown. This can take a bit of time but as soon as it turns brown remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. You need to do this quickly or the onion will burn.
- Add the remaining onion to the pan and repeat.
To make the rice
- Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes, then rinse and drain 4 to 5 times until the water runs clear.
- Cook according to the pack instructions (but make sure to add salt to the water).
To make the spices
- In a pestle and mortar, bash the coriander and cumin seeds.
- Just before the rice is ready, dry fry the seeds in a heavy based pan.
- As soon as the spices start to smell fragrant add a tablespoon of olive oil and the turmeric. Fry for a minute or two being careful not to let them burn.
To assemble the Mujadara
- Add the spices to the rice, and combine until the rice turns yellow from the turmeric and the spices are well distributed.
- Warm the lentils in a microwave for 45 seconds, then carefully stir them and the crispy onions into the rice.
