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Mejadra (Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions)

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Mejadra (Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions)

Adapted from the Wikibooks Cookbook: Rice and Lentils (Mejadra)

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Mejadra (Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions)

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Details

Description
A Palestinian staple that costs very little: lentils and rice cooked with warm spices and topped with deeply browned onions. Filling, vegan and better the next day. Adapted from “Rice and Lentils (Mejadra)” in the Wikibooks Cookbook (CC BY-SA 4.0). Corrected the lentil and rice weights to match 1 cup each and gave amounts for the oil, salt and spices. Photo: Yish (English Wikibooks)Tamorlan, CC BY-SA 2.53.0, via Wikimedia Commons (“Mujaddara - My own style”).
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Ingredients

added removed changed
  • Unchanged: 200 g brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • Unchanged: 200 g long-grain rice
  • Unchanged: 1 l water, divided
  • Unchanged: 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • Unchanged: 1½ tsp salt, divided
  • Unchanged: 1 tsp baharat
  • Unchanged: 1 tsp ground cumin
  • Unchanged: ½ tsp ground cardamom, divided
  • Unchanged: ½ tsp ground black pepper
  • Unchanged: 1 large onion

Method

added removed changed

  1. Unchanged step 1:

    Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a pot and fry the lentils for 3–4 minutes, stirring all the time, until the first ones start to scorch.

  2. Unchanged step 2:

    Stir in 1 tsp salt, the baharat, cumin and half the cardamom.

  3. Unchanged step 3:

    Add 500 ml of the water and cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes until the water is absorbed.

  4. Unchanged step 4:

    In a second pot, fry the rice in 1 tbsp oil for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the grains change colour.

  5. Unchanged step 5:

    Add the remaining salt, the black pepper and the rest of the cardamom.

  6. Unchanged step 6:

    Add the remaining 500 ml water and cover. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it covered for another 10 minutes.

  7. Unchanged step 7:

    Cut the onion into thin strips, about 0.5 × 4 cm.

  8. Unchanged step 8:

    Fry the onion in the remaining 3 tbsp oil until crisp and deep golden brown. It takes a while, and that is where the flavour comes from.

  9. Unchanged step 9:

    Mix the lentils and rice (about 2 parts lentils to 1 part rice keeps it moist) and pile the fried onions on top.