Majudarrah - Lebanese Lentils and Rice
1 cup lentils
1 cup white or brown rice
2 medium to large onions
olive oil
salt to taste
vegan yoghurt for garnish
4 cups water (slightly less if pressure cooking)
A very simple but very delicious dish. The key is in the onions: peel and slice or dice them, then fry them slowly in some olive oil until they are golden brown. They will shrink considerably, so always start with more than you think you need. If you're using white rice, add the lentils, water and salt; cook 15 minutes, then add the rice, cover the pot and finish cooking. If you're using brown rice, add it to the pot at the same time as the lentils. (Obviously, you can cook it much quicker if you use a pressure cooker--the brown rice version takes only 15 minutes once everything is in the pot. Just be sure to reduce the amount of water by 1/4 or 1/ 2 cup, since very little will evaporate.) When its cooked, stir to mix in the onions (they'll all be on the top) and serve with vegan yoghurt. Yum!
SO HOW'D IT GO?
We make a similar version of this and I learned it from a Middle Eastern women...learn from the best. She taught me to nealry burn them. I know it sound crazy, but it is super delicious. And I never pressure cook lnetils for 2 reasons. 1) they cook pretty darned quickly, and 2) They can easily clog up your pressure cooker. This is a wonderful dish, make it and enjoy.
My grandfather is Syrian and this has been a staple in our family forever. We use bulgur wheat instead of rice. I have tried adding mushrooms and eggplants to the dish as well to change it up. Such a great recipe!
Easy and delicious. I add some garlic, too, to give it more flavor without using a lot of salt. The leftovers are great to take to work for lunch the next day, too.
YUM. I think the more onions the better. I used three large onions. I ate this for breakfast lunch and dinner.