Mujaddara, Middle Eastern Rice & Lentils

Needed as a break from lentil curry, so recalled this Middle Eastern recipe I'd seen in a library e-book over the summer.  

Serves 4

200g dry green or brown lentils, or a can

2 onions, peeled and finely sliced

2 large cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp cumin seeds

2 tbsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground turmeric

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 mug basmati rice

For the garlic yogurt

250ml Greek yoghurt (or vegan yoghurt)

3 spring onions, finely sliced, or wilted spinach

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

The original recipe calls for deep fried flour dusted onions to be cooked first.  I halved the number of onions (to two), forwent the flour, and just caramelised the onions first, then added the rice and lentils to the onions in the pan to cook like a biryani.

Cook the lentils for 2 minutes less than the instructions on their packet so they stay firm.  Drain the tinned lentils if using.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan.  Peel and half the onions, then thinly slice,  Fry gently for about 20 minutes over a medium high heat, stirring from time to time, until brown.  

Add the garlic and dry spices. Stir the rice and drained lentils into the oil and spices, then add a mug and a half of recently boiled water

Cover and bring to the boil, then turn down the lowest heat to simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender. 

Whilst the rice is cooking, mix all the garlic yoghurt ingredients in a bowl and leave to one side. 

After the rice has been cooking for 15 minutes, turn the heat off and leave to rest for 10 minutes without taking the lid off.  After 10 minutes fluff the rice up with a fork and stir in half the fried onions, and sprinkle the rest on the top

Serve with the garlic yoghurt on the side.

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