Wolf down a bowl of Middle Eastern mujaddara
A Middle Eastern dish popular in Israel and Lebanon, mujaddara finds slight variations and spellings to its name depending on the country in which you’re sampling the dish. A basic meal centering on rice, lentils and caramelised onions, mujaddara can be topped with fried onions, toasted pine nuts and spiced yoghurt for extra flavour. You can also stir through ground cumin and fresh coriander and mint, but we’ve simply incorporated these flavours into the yoghurt.
INGREDIENTS
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 cup basmati rice
3/4 cup French brown lentils
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
nutmeg
salt
Yoghurt
1/2 cup Greek yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon spicy paprika
3 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
salt
TO MAKE
Add the lentils, a sprinkle of salt and four cups of water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes over low heat until soft. Drain, transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Using the same pot, add the rice, a sprinkle of salt and 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat until light and fluffy. Set aside.
Meanwhile, place a skillet over low heat on the stove and add the butter and two tablespoons of olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the thinly sliced onions and toss for about five minutes until the onions have softened. Increase the heat to medium and cook for about ten minutes. Add a splash of water here and there if the pan becomes too dry. When the onions have turned a caramel brown, add the rest of the olive oil and increase the heat to high. Cook for three minutes more to crisp up the bottom layer.
Combine the cooked lentils, rice and onions in a serving bowl, sprinkle with nutmeg and give the bowl a good stir. Leave to rest for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile add all of the yoghurt ingredients to a small bowl and stir to combine. Dish up your portion and top with a dollop of yoghurt.
Image via The Road Forks.
The Stumble Guide is our comprehensive Brisbane dining guide with more than 2400 places to eat, drink, shop and play.