Mujaddara (Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions)
By Andrew JanjigianPublished on July 8, 2014
Time
2¼ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt 2 tablespoons lemon juice ½ garlic clove, minced½ teaspoon table saltCrispy Onions
2 pounds onions, halved and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces2 teaspoons table salt 1½ cups vegetable oil for fryingRice and Lentils
8 ½ ounces (1 ¼ cups) green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed2 teaspoons table salt, divided1 ¼ cups basmati rice 3 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground allspice ¼ teaspoon pepper ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon sugar 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantroBefore You Begin
It is crucial to thoroughly dry the microwaved onions after rinsing. The best way to accomplish this is to use a salad spinner. Remaining onion oil may be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 4 weeks. Do not substitute smaller French lentils for the green or brown lentils.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Refrigerate while preparing crispy onions and rice and lentils.
- Toss onions and salt together in large bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, transfer to paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet, and dry well.
- Heat onions and oil in Dutch oven over high heat, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain onions in colander set in large bowl. Transfer onions to paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet to drain. Reserve 3 tablespoons onion oil; set aside.
- Bring lentils, 4 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until lentils are tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain and set aside. While lentils cook, place rice in medium bowl and cover by 2 inches with hot tap water; let stand for 15 minutes.
- Using your hands, gently swish rice grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Add cold tap water to rice and pour off water. Repeat adding and pouring off cold tap water 4 to 5 times, until water runs almost clear. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer.
- Heat reserved onion oil, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and cayenne in Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 2¼ cups water, sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes.
- Off heat, remove lid, fold dish towel in half and place over pot; replace lid. Let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and lentils with fork and stir in cilantro and half of crispy onions. Transfer to serving platter, top with remaining crispy onions, and serve, passing yogurt sauce separately.
for the yogurt sauce
for the crispy onions
for the rice and lentils
Time
2¼ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon table salt
Crispy Onions
2 pounds onions, halved and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces
2 teaspoons table salt
1½ cups vegetable oil for frying
Rice and Lentils
8 ½ ounces (1 ¼ cups) green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¼ cups basmati rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon table salt
Crispy Onions
2 pounds onions, halved and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces
2 teaspoons table salt
1½ cups vegetable oil for frying
Rice and Lentils
8 ½ ounces (1 ¼ cups) green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¼ cups basmati rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon table salt
Crispy Onions
2 pounds onions, halved and sliced crosswise into ¼-inch-thick pieces
2 teaspoons table salt
1½ cups vegetable oil for frying
Rice and Lentils
8 ½ ounces (1 ¼ cups) green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 teaspoons table salt, divided
1 ¼ cups basmati rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Mujaddara is a hearty one-dish vegetarian rice and lentil pilaf containing large brown or green lentils and crispy fried onion strings. For the pilaf, we found that precooking the lentils and soaking the rice in hot water before combining them ensured that both components cooked evenly. We pare down the typically fussy process of batch-frying onions in several cups of oil to a single batch of onions fried in just 1 1/2 cups of oil. The trick: removing a good bit of the onions’ water before frying by tossing them with salt, microwaving them for 5 minutes, and drying them thoroughly. In the end, you have a delicious mujaddara dish with the perfect blend of rice and lentils with crispy onions.
Before You Begin
It is crucial to thoroughly dry the microwaved onions after rinsing. The best way to accomplish this is to use a salad spinner. Remaining onion oil may be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 4 weeks. Do not substitute smaller French lentils for the green or brown lentils.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in bowl. Refrigerate while preparing crispy onions and rice and lentils.
- Toss onions and salt together in large bowl. Microwave for 5 minutes. Rinse thoroughly, transfer to paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet, and dry well.
- Heat onions and oil in Dutch oven over high heat, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Drain onions in colander set in large bowl. Transfer onions to paper towel–lined rimmed baking sheet to drain. Reserve 3 tablespoons onion oil; set aside.
- Bring lentils, 4 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until lentils are tender, 15 to 17 minutes. Drain and set aside. While lentils cook, place rice in medium bowl and cover by 2 inches with hot tap water; let stand for 15 minutes.
- Using your hands, gently swish rice grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off water, leaving rice in bowl. Add cold tap water to rice and pour off water. Repeat adding and pouring off cold tap water 4 to 5 times, until water runs almost clear. Drain rice in fine-mesh strainer.
- Heat reserved onion oil, garlic, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, and cayenne in Dutch oven over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until edges of rice begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes. Add 2¼ cups water, sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Stir in lentils, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes.
- Off heat, remove lid, fold dish towel in half and place over pot; replace lid. Let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff rice and lentils with fork and stir in cilantro and half of crispy onions. Transfer to serving platter, top with remaining crispy onions, and serve, passing yogurt sauce separately.
for the yogurt sauce
for the crispy onions
for the rice and lentils
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