Mujadara Recipe
Cookbook
The Traveling Vegan Cookbook: Exciting Plant-Based Meals from the Mediterranean, East Asia, the Middle East and More
Published by Page Street Publishing Co.
Mujadara is everything I love about home-cooked Middle Eastern food. This delicious signature dish is made of flavor-packed layers of rice and lentils with heaps of caramelized onions on top. It’s nutritious and delicious and the perfect hearty meal. It also goes very well with a big side of deliciously creamy tahini.
Serves4 to 5
Dietary ConsiderationVegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cup (185 g) basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup (190 g) green lentils, soaked in water 4 to 6 hours, then rinsed and drained
Caramelized Onions- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large onions, sliced
Instructions
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Place the oil in a medium pot over high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until it’s golden brown. Add all the garlic and sauté for another minute. Then add the salt, cumin, cinnamon and coriander, and sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the rice and lentils and sauté for another 30 seconds, then add 3½ cups (840 ml) of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 17 to 20 minutes. Check with a fork after 17 minutes to see if the rice and lentils are cooked.
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In the meantime, in a large frying pan, place the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often, until they’re caramelized. When the mujadara is cooked, either mix the onions into it or serve them on top.
Reprinted with permission from The Traveling Vegan Cookbook: Exciting Plant-Based Meals from the Mediterranean, East Asia, the Middle East and More by Kirsten Kaminski, Page Street Publishing Co. 2021.
