My kids love rice, but Mujadara is their favorite rice dish, hands down. Yes, there are steps and work involved, and there are a lot of onions to fry, and a number of pans will need to be washed when all the cooking is done. But, that said, the mixture of rice, lentils, fried onions, and spices is Middle Eastern soul food at its best. Mujadara, with multiple origins and spellings, is said to be so old that popular legend in Israel has it that when Esau requested a dish of lentils from his brother Jacob, it was, in fact, Mujadara he was after! I’m not sure how much I believe the legend, but I do believe that this ancient combination has withstood the test of time because it is so delicious and satisfying in its simplicity.

I was inspired by Michael Solomonov’s take on the dish in his cookbook Zahav.

*Baharat is a pre-packaged spice blend found in many kosher and Middle Eastern shops. While the ingredients may vary slightly, it typically includes cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and coriander.

*This recipe requires a large amount of fried onions, you can follow the traditional method below or alternatively here is the way I have been friending onions recently that works equally well, you will need for the Mujadara 1/2 a recipe of Large-Batch Fried Onions.

INGREDIENTS:

For the onions:

• 4 brown onions, halved, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For lentils:

• 1 cup dried brown lentils
• 1 cinnamon stick
• ½ onion, unpeeled
• 1 head of garlic cut in half, through the middle
• 4 cups water

For rice:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ onion, peeled, chopped very finely
• 2 cups white long-grain rice
• 1 tablespoon Baharat spice*
• 1 teaspoon salt
• A few grinds of black pepper
• 4 cups water

METHOD:

1. Caramelise the onions: In a large sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and stir occasionally. Fry until very dark and mahogany-coloured but not burnt. This may take up to 45 minutes.
2. Cook the lentils: Combine the lentils, cinnamon stick, half onion, and garlic in a medium saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the lentils are soft.
3. Drain the lentils: Once the lentils are soft, drain them and discard the cinnamon, onion, and garlic. Set the lentils aside.
4. Sauté the onion for the rice: In a large sauté pan with high sides, heat the oil. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté until translucent.
5. Toast the rice: Add the rice to the sautéed onion and stir until the grains are coated and begin to turn translucent.
6. Add spices: Stir in the Baharat, salt, and pepper until well combined.
7. Cook the rice: Add the water, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
8. Rest the rice: Turn off the heat and let the rice sit covered for 10 minutes.
9. Combine rice and lentils: Fluff the cooked rice with a fork and gently fold in the cooked lentils and about ¼ of the caramelised onions. Reserve the rest of the onions for serving.
10. Top with onions: Just before serving, reheat the rice mixture and the reserved onions separately. Spoon the remaining onions on top and serve.

MAKE AHEAD:

Prepare the rice, lentils, and onions up to the end of step 9. Store the rice mixture and the remaining caramelised onions separately in airtight containers in the fridge. Reheat both components before assembling and serving.