Authentic Lebanese Majdara – Maureen Abboud
Learn to create a fileabsolute Lebanese Mojdara (Lentil and Rice Pilaf with Caramelized Onion) With my step-by-step directions for achievement!
Majdara, in a nutshell, is our Lebanese favorite. The traditional pilaf taste is hearty and deeply satisfying. Each ingredient in mujdara has a excessive dietary worth: lentils are an incredible supply of fiber, and with rice or bulgur, the mix makes the “good protein.”
Whereas the argument is present in most Lebanese cookbooks as a vegetarian specialty for seasons like Lent and Ramadan, the dish is so flavorful that it is a year-round staple. Right here, I discover myself making an argument virtually each week! They preserve simply superb and are simply heat from the pot the day they’re made as are leftovers, eaten chilly, at room temperature, or reheated.
Mujaddara makes an incredible base for pot-style meals or bread rolls. Load up on flavors like labneh (Lebanese condensed milk), pink turnip pickles, recent mint, cucumber, tomato…you identify it!
What’s the authentic mojadra?
Lebanese mujadara is a pilaf made with lentils, caramelized onions, and rice (or coarse bulgur bulgur, which has a splendidly nutty taste and barely candy flavour). This dish is principally peasant meals, meals that arose out of want. However within the palms of Lebanese ladies, who all through historical past knew instinctively the best way to make all meals style scrumptious, the elements had been remodeled right into a beloved dish that was scrumptious and comforting.
the elements to make a meritorious
lentil.
lentil. Not simply something will do! Right here we want small, laborious brown lentils that may preserve their form. I like spanish lentils for the deserves.
Impartial oil.
Why impartial? Cook dinner the onions for the sake of advantage over a excessive warmth till it turns into a darkish golden brown. Impartial oil has a excessive combustion level. Consequently, impartial oil cooks at the next temperature and for an extended time period. Though we love our evoo, right here we use it as a finisher. Cook dinner onions in a impartial oil corresponding to canola oil, safflower oil, or avocado oil.
yellow onions.
A lot of it! This jumbo yellow onion that some grocery shops carry is ideal right here. Or a number of medium or massive onions. Anyplace from 4 to six cups will do.
Rice or coarse bulgur.
We’ve a cut up in our household about this! My mother made a rice paddle. Abi’s household, with coarse bulgur. Each are nice. Rice makes mujadara gluten-free. Bulgur provides additional protein and fiber. Make a choice. The recipe is similar in each circumstances.
Salt, pepper and further virgin olive oil for ending.
Attempt our scrumptious, unfiltered, additional virgin olive oils from Lebanon in my shop here!
Find out how to make a Lebanese mojdara
Here is a step-by-step information to creating this wonderful lentil and rice pilaf:
- First, prepare dinner the lentils.
Small, shape-retaining brown lentils are additionally harder than commonplace lentils, so prepare dinner them for a couple of minutes earlier than including them to the fries. In a small saucepan with 2 cups water and a pinch of salt, convey the lentils to a boil, then simmer till the lentils are tender, about 7 minutes.
- Onion caramel.
Do that in a big, heavy skillet or wok (with a lid) and prepare dinner the onions till golden brown, about 20 minutes. As soon as the onions begin to brown, preserve them stirring continuously to keep away from burning, though some charring will happen to get them brown, which is ok! Sprinkle slightly salt whereas the onions are cooking.
- Add water to the onions.
Add 2 cups of water to the onions, put aside from warmth to keep away from spattering, and prepare dinner for about 5 minutes. The liquid will purchase the deep golden coloration of the onion and the onions will proceed to melt.
- Add well-cooked rice or bulgur and lentils.
Add the rice or bulgur dry, however the lentils with the cooking liquid, to the onion combination. Season with salt, pepper and every other spices (cumin or 7 spice scrumptious right here). Make sure to style the cooking liquid and alter seasonings if wanted.
- Cowl and prepare dinner.
Scale back the warmth, cowl the pot, and simmer till the liquid is absorbed and the rice and lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. The ultimate texture of rice or bulgur and lentils is sort of easy, with separate grains. Take away from warmth and season with salt and pepper to style.
- Serve and eat!
Serve the argument scorching, heat, or at room temperature with slightly olive oil. There’s a little labneh (thick Lebanese yogurt) conventional right here. Salad can be an ideal facet dish for a facet dish.
Find out how to serve Majdara
Scrumptious mujadara topped with labneh (Greek yogurt), fried or boiled eggs wrapped in pita bread, arugula fattoush or a inexperienced salad of any type.
I like serving Mujadara on a plate over a salad of rocket, avocado and tomato. This can be a nice and colourful technique to serve the gravy.
Suggestions for working laborious
Deeply caramelize the onions for a wealthy flavour. Some onions will burn barely, and that is okay.
Most grocery shops carry flat inexperienced lentils or crimson lentils. Don’t use it, as it would lose its form and should grow to be mushy. For finest outcomes, search for younger brown lentils, corresponding to Spanish Pardena. Discover the correct lentils within the retailer here.
If utilizing bulgur, use coarse bulgur generally known as quantity 3. Discover massive coarse bulgur here.
Find out how to retailer Lebanese mujdara
After the mujdara has cooled, retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. Lebanese mujadara is a scrumptious leftover served at room temperature or reheated.
To freeze argus, merely retailer in an hermetic container within the freezer for as much as 3 months.
Extra recipes like this to attempt
This can be a love story value it or the shortage thereof!
Magdara Beta Rap
Mujaddara plate with rocca and avocado salad
Lentil bulgur soup with mint olive oil
Genuine Lebanese mujdara
This can be a pilaf made with lentils, caramelized onions, rice or coarse bulgur. There’s some query about how far the onions must be taken within the caramelization course of. It must be darkish, very darkish golden brown. Some onions will burn. Nonetheless, absolutely burnt onions will produce a bitter chard and the onions is not going to “dissolve” into the lentils and rice in addition to they need to when tender. Mujadara is scrumptious with labneh, flatbread, inexperienced salad and, if you’d like a style, some crunchy fried onion strings.
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First, prepare dinner the lentils. Put the lentils in a small saucepan with two cups of water and a pinch of salt. Carry the combination to a boil over excessive warmth. Scale back warmth, and simmer till lentils are tender, about 7 minutes. Take away from the fireplace.
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In a big, heavy skillet or wok (with a lid), warmth the canola oil over medium-high warmth. Add the onion and prepare dinner till golden brown, about 20 minutes, stirring continuously to keep away from burning, though some charring will happen to get browned. Sprinkle slightly salt whereas the onions are cooking.
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Take away the onions from the warmth and add two cups of water. Put it again on the warmth and convey to a boil, then scale back the warmth and simmer for five minutes. The liquid will purchase the deep golden coloration of the onion and the onion will proceed to melt.
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Add the cooked rice or bulgur and lentils with the cooking liquid to the onion combination. Carry to a boil. Sprinkle slightly salt and pepper. Style the cooking liquid and add extra salt and pepper if wanted. Cowl, scale back warmth, and simmer till liquid is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. The feel of rice or bulgur and lentils is considerably tender. Take away from warmth and season with salt and pepper to style. Serve scorching, heat, or at room temperature, drizzling with olive oil.
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