Hello lovelies,
sometimes the dishes with the fewest ingredients are the ones people ask about most. Mujadara is essentially lentils, rice and onions, nothing more, and yet my kids stand in the kitchen asking when it will finally be ready. It comes down to the onions: they need their 20 minutes in the pan, they turn deep golden brown and sweet, and the whole dish lives off that.
If you like lentils as a filling, you may already know my stuffed zucchini with lentils and orzo. Here the lentils play a different part: they cook together with the rice in the same pot and give it an earthy depth that rice alone never has.
Lentils and rice
Do use green or brown lentils, red ones collapse into puree. I precook them separately until they still have bite, because they keep cooking in the pot with the rice. The cumin and turmeric do not go into the water, they get toasted briefly in the oil, which brings out far more aroma. For another dish where lentils carry everything, try my lentil shakshuka with tomatoes.
A simple salad of tomatoes, cucumber and red onion belongs with it, with plenty of lemon and olive oil. And warm flatbread to wipe the last of it from the bowl. My vegan naan from the pan takes 20 minutes and is perfect for that.
What I love most about mujadara: it tastes even better on day two. So I often cook a double batch and take a portion to the office, warm or cold. If that appeals to you, try my easy carrot and lentil soup next, it works on exactly the same principle. I would love to hear how the mujadara turned out for you.
