Mujadara - Arabic Lentils and Rice

Delicious! Not as simple as some lentil salads, but the extra effort is worth it. The smell of the caramelizing onions is worth the price of admission, alone. Ultimately, this recipe yields a dish of rice and beans -- perfect if that's what you're after. But you may want to consider serving with salad and a starch.

Mujadara
Cooking Light

7 c water, divided

1 c uncooked long-grain brown rice

1 1/2 tsp coarse salt, divided

3 large yellow onions

1/4 c olive oil, divided

6 sprigs thyme

1 T cumin

1 bay leaf

1 c brown or green lentils, rinsed

1/4 c pine nuts, toasted

Bring 4 cups water to boil in a small pot over high. Add rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain. While the rice parcooks, halve and thinly slice the onions horizontally.

Heat a medium pot or baking dish with a lid over medium-high, and then add 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add sliced onions, thyme, and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring often, until onions are softened and quite browned, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add a sprinkle of water if needed to keep from burning. Remove half of the onions (about 1 cup), and set aside. Add the parcooked rice, cumin, bay leaf, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to pot. Cook, stirring often, until toasted and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add lentils and remaining 3 cups water. Increase heat to medium- high, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to a very low simmer. Cover and cook until rice and lentils are tender and water is absorbed, about 40 minutes.

While mujadara cooks, put reserved half of onions in a small pan, and cook over medium-high, stirring often, until fried and crisp, even blackened in places, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

To serve, stir pine nuts into mujadara, and sprinkle with fried onions. If you like, drizzle with additional olive oil and a dollop of yogurt, and top with mint.

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