Recipe: Mujaddara lentils & rice

[yuuago]

Made Mujaddara lentils and rice the other day using this recipe posted at cookbook_challenge. Loved this, and absolutely would make it again. Added a pinch of baking soda to help the onions caramelize a little faster.

Tossed some gai lan/Chinese broccoli in it, which made it extra good. No need for side dishes!


Ingredients
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon coriander powder
2 large onions sliced into petals (about 3 cups)
Pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil for cooking the onions plus extra for drizzling over the mujaddara before serving
1 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
2 - 3 cups cooked rice I used leftover jasmine rice…use your fingers to break up any clumpy bits
1 15 oz can lentils about 2 cups cooked

Recipe
Mix the cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper and coriander powder in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a skillet large enough to hold the rice, onions and lentils (a Dutch oven would work well, too).

Add the onions to the skillet and cook over high heat until they begin to change color a bit. Add half the spice mixture to the onions and stir well.

At this point, reduce the heat to medium low and allow the onions to cook until they turn a beautiful golden brown color. Some of them will get really dark. It will take about 20 – 30 minutes, but they will be sweet and delicious. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

While the onions are finishing up, drain and rinse the lentils. Also break up any clumps in the rice.

Add the rice, lentils and the remaining spice mixture. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the lentils and rice are heated through.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. Stir in the chopped cilantro.

Before serving drizzle olive oil over the mujaddara.