Name: Mujadara
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 200 g brown or green lentils; 150 g long-grain rice (rinsed); 3 large onions (thinly sliced); 100 ml olive oil; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp salt; 750 ml water; Plain yogurt (to serve)

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Mujadara: lentils and rice cooked with cumin and cinnamon and topped with deeply caramelised crispy onions.

About this Middle Eastern recipe

Mujadara is an old, humble Levantine dish of lentils and rice. The slowly fried onions are the star, so do not rush them.

Ingredients you will need

The main ingredients are brown or green lentils, long-grain rice, large onions, olive oil, ground cumin, ground cinnamon. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.

How long it takes

Allow 1 hr in total: 10 min of preparation, 50 min of cooking. The recipe serves 4.

Mujadara

Mujadara: lentils and rice cooked with cumin and cinnamon and topped with deeply caramelised crispy onions.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Calories: 470

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

200 g brown or green lentils
150 g long-grain rice rinsed
3 large onions thinly sliced
100 ml olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
750 ml water
Plain yogurt to serve

Method

Simmer the lentils in the water for 15 minutes until just tender. Do not drain.
Meanwhile, fry the onions in the oil over medium heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring, until deep brown. Set half aside on paper to crisp.
Add the rice, cumin, cinnamon, salt and the remaining onions to the lentils. Top up with water to cover by 1 cm.
Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
Rest, covered, for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
Top with the crispy onions and serve with yogurt.

Notes

Salt the onions only at the end. Salting early draws out water and stops them crisping.