Style of Beirut mujaddara lentil rice dip lebanese conventional fasting dish vegan

August 28, 2021  •  Class: Legumes, Whole Grain/Bulgur/Rice

Eleven years in the past after I first revealed this recipe, I used to be combating the Arabic title: Ought to I embody it or ought to I name it “lentil and rice dish”. Now that our Close to Japanese meals has change into mainstream, I can simply name it by its identify: mujaddara (pronounced mjaddra in Lebanon).

One caveat, although: This mujaddara is in contrast to any you will see that on the net. It’s the mujaddara made in Lebanon, (additionally identified by mujaddara musfayeh), eaten in all places in properties, college or hospital cafeterias. The mujaddara on the net, principally a rice pilaf, can be made in Lebanon, however known as mudardara. (I’ll publish a recipe for mudardara later).

There are two most important variations between the mujaddara and the mudardara: mujaddara is run via a meals mill, which makes it silky mushy, with solely the occasional grains of rice offering texture. It additionally doesn’t include plenty of rice, simply 1/4 to 1/3 cup per batch. The mudardara alternatively, has  equal quantities rice to lentils, and the caramelized onions are sprinkled on prime of the rice pilaf. Each are eaten at room temperature.

Mujaddara is principally made utilizing the big inexperienced lentils mostly present in all markets; nevertheless, it will also be made utilizing pink break up lentils, wherein case it’s referred to as mujaddara safra

(the phrase safra means yellow in Arabic). Mujaddara will also be cooked with bulgur, wherein case it’s referred to as mujaddara hamra or janoubiyeh (hamra is pink in Arabic and janoubieh is a reference to the janoub which suggests South, as it’s a conventional model within the South of Lebanon).

Mujaddara has additionally a wonderful previous, as Lebanese culinary lore attributes it to the dish that Jacob within the ebook of Genesis gave up his inheritance rights for. Because the story goes, Jacob was working within the fields all day, and got here again residence ravenous and requested for a bowl of lentils in trade for his inheritance.  He was given mujaddara!

Within the olden days in Lebanon, it was referred to as the dish of the poor, as a result of it contained no meat, and lentils have been a number of the most cost-effective meals. Nonetheless, poor and wealthy alike would eat it with gusto as it’s yummy! One other benefit of mujaddara is that it’s served at room temperature. It doesn’t require fussing with oven temperatures or serving it instantly. In Lebanese properties, one might see a dish of mujaddara on the eating desk lined with a muslin globe to stop flies from touchdown on it, ready patiently to be devoured a number of hours later. The mujaddara is taken into account a full meal together with a salad like fattoush or a cabbage salad. Bread and olives are additionally made obtainable on the desk.

The spices used for mujaddara are merely salt, pepper and perhaps some allspice or cumin. The principle taste right here comes from the caramelized onions, not the spices.

Mujaddara

Joumana Accad
Mediterranean, Center Japanese
August 28, 2021

Legumes, Entire Grain/Bulgur/Rice,

vegan, Mujaddara, lentils, fasting dish,

4-6 servings

Prep Time: quarter-hour

Cook dinner Time: 1 1/2 hours

Substances

1 1/2 cup lentils (greens, giant or small)
3 onions, of which 2 onions are chopped (medium dimension, yellow or white) and one giant onion sliced into rings to make use of as topping
1/3 cup oil like a lightweight olive oil, or a vegetable oil (to fry the chopped onions)

Oil tub to fry the onion rings when mujaddara is prepared

spices:
salt, to style;  1/2 tsp.cinnamon, 1/2 tsp.allspice, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp cumin (optionally available)
2 tsp sugar (to assist caramelize the onions)

1/4 cup flour blended with a splash of salt (to sprinkle on the onions)
1/4 cup Calrose or Egyptian rice, soaked first if attainable in a bowl of water for one hour or longer
Tools:
Deep skillet with cowl or Dutch oven or giant pot with cowl
Meals mill
Spatula
Massive spoon

Directions

1. Fry the chopped onions within the oil over medium warmth, watching them sometimes, including the sugar to hurry caramelization, till the onions are browned and caramelized.
2. Add the lentils and pour about 8 cups of water over the lentils. Cowl the pot and convey to a simmer. Simmer the lentils and onions for about 20-Half-hour till the lentils are cooked.
3. Now take away the lentils and onions with a slotted spoon and run them via the meals mill (use the medium dimension disc), till all of the lentils have been pureed and the skins stay within the meals mill bowl. It will make sure that the mujaddara is silky and has that melt-in-the-mouth high quality. Solely the meals mill will obtain the silky easy texture, not the meals processor or blender.
4. Acquire the ensuing mujaddara (much less the skins) and retransfer to the pot. Simmer once more, stirring all the best way to stop the underside from burning and sticking to the pot. Add the rice and spices now and stir some extra, sometimes, till the rice cooks totally, about 20 minutes, with the lid over the pot.
5. Uncover the pot, and stir some extra, till the mujaddara is thick and easy and begins forming its attribute pores and skin. Style to regulate the spices if wanted.
6. Now switch the mujaddara to a serving dish and even out the floor with a spatula; let it cool.
7. Put together the onions for the topping, if desired. Sprinkle the onions with salt and allow them to sit for Half-hour to sweat. Dry the onions with paper towels and sprinkle with flour. Warmth the oil tub and fry the onion rings until golden and crispy, then drain over paper towels. Place over the mujaddara.
8. Serve the mujaddara at room temperature, with a salad like fattoush or cabbage salad on the facet.

 

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