Watch how Brother Aelred makes Mujadara, a Lebanese dish of rice, lentils and caramelized onions and then make it yourself using the recipe below.
Mujadara
Lebanese Rice, Lentils
and Caramelized Onions (serves 6 – 8)
Ingredients
- 1 c. brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 5 – 6 T extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 t. cumin seeds
- 1 t. cracked black peppercorns
- 3 medium red onions, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt
- 3/4 cup basmati rice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick
- Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
- Greek yogurt, for serving, optional
Directions
- Place lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by a couple of inches. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and allow it to warm for a minute, then add the cumin seeds and cracked peppercorns. Cook, stirring seeds around until the cumin seeds darken a touch, about 1 minute.
- Add the onions and sprinkle with a dash of salt. Cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. They will be a deep chestnut color, and a slight crispiness will develop on some of the onions.
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Add the ground cumin, cayenne, and the cinnamon stick to the remaining onions in the pan; sauté about 1 minute.
- Add the rice, stirring gently until the rice grains become opaque or begin to brown. Add the cooked lentils, 2 1/4 cups of water, and 1 1/2 t. of salt; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
Fluff the rice and taste for seasoning. Serve with the reserved caramelized onions and a squeeze of lemon juice. It is delicious with a dollop of Greek yogurt, some pita bread, and a fresh salad.