Mujadara With Bulgur Recipes

MUJADARA (LENTILS AND RICE WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS)

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, combine the garlic, bay leaves, cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and about 20 twists of freshly ground black pepper. Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
• Once boiling, stir in the rice and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a controlled simmer, for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the lentils and let the mixture return to a simmer. Cover again, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice and lentils are tender, about 20 to 23 minutes.
• Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. When it's warm enough that a slice of onion sizzles on contact, add the remaining onions. Stir to combine.
• Stir only every 3 minutes or so at first, then more often once the onions at the edges of the pan start browning. If the onions are browning before they have softened, dial down the heat to give them more time. Cook until the onions are deeply caramelized and starting to crisp at the edges, about 20 to 30 minutes. In the meantime, line a large plate or cutting board with a couple paper towels.
• Using a slotted spoon or fish spatula, transfer the onions to the lined plate and spread them evenly across. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over the onions. They'll crisp up as they cool.
• When the lentils and rice are done cooking, drain off any excess water (if there is any) and return the mixture to the pot, off the heat. Lay a kitchen towel across the top of the pot to absorb steam, then cover the pot and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Remove the lid, discard the bay leaves, and smash the garlic cloves against the side of the pan with a fork. Add about 3/4ths of the green onions and cilantro, reserving the rest for garnish. Gently stir and fluff the rice with a fork. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Transfer the rice and lentil mixture to a large serving platter or bowl. Top with the caramelized onions and the remaining green onions and cilantro. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, with yogurt and spicy sauce (optional) on the side.

MUJADARA RECIPE

Steps:

• Put lentils in a small pot and cover with water, boil until lentils are soft but still a little al dente. Add more water while cooking if necessary. Drain.
• While lentils are cooking, slice onions in half moon shapes.
• In another pot mix cooked lentils with the rice, salt, seven spices, and cumin.
• Add the water and bring to the boil. Once it boils turn down to a simmer and cook with the cover a quarter off the pot, until all the water is gone and rice is cooked through.
• While the rice and lentils are cooking heat oil in a pan and fry onions until they are crispy.
• Top the rice and lentils with the crunchy onions. Also top with yogurt, and Palestinian salad.
• Enjoy!

MUJADARA HAMRA

Steps:

• Chop the onions and add them to a pan with the olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt
• Sauté on medium heat for at least 20 minutes until they turn dark brown (but not burnt!) The more you brown them the more savoury the flavour
• Stand back and slowly add enough boiled water to just cover the onions (it will splutter!) and squish them down with the back of a wooden spoon
• Add just under 1 tablespoon of salt and bring to the boil, cover and simmer on low heat for ten minutes
• Add the lentils and the cold water, turn up the heat until it starts to bubble then reduce the heat to low and leave to cook for around another half hour until the lentils are cooked
• Add the bulgur wheat and simmer for another 15 minutes.
• When the bulgur wheat has soaked up most of the liquid, adjust the salt as necessary, turn off the heat and add a dash of olive oil
• Serve with a side salad or a helping of plain yoghurt

MUJADARA HAMRA (LENTILS & BULGUR)

Steps:

• Check lentils for stones that need to be discarded
• Wash and soak for a couple of hours (I do this to speed up the cooking process)
• After soaking lentils, discard and wash lentils to rid any excess sediment
• Place lentils in a large pot with water, bring to boil
• Cover the pot of lentils and simmer over low heat about 10 minutes or until lentils are par cooked.
• Drain par cooked lentils in a colander and save liquid. You will use this later
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat
• Cook the onions for about 30-40 minutes, stirring every few minutes until they are dark golden brown. (You'll need to be patient for this step - the onions must be like this as the dish relies on the taste of the caramelised onion)
• Once onions are a dark golden colour, pour the liquid from the lentils into the onions and let it simmer for a couple of minutes to combine.
• Add the cooked lentils, salt (to taste) and cracked wheat (bulgur), stir through thoroughly.
• Cover the saucepan and cook over very low heat for 25-30 minutes.

ONE-POT MUJADARA (SYRIAN BULGUR AND LENTILS) WITH CUCUMBER MINT YOGURT (VEGAN)

Steps:

• Wash and drain lentils and bulgur thoroughly. Add lentils to a pot with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 25-35 minutes. 15 minutes into cooking time, add bulgur, salt, cumin if you like, and 1 tbsp olive oil.* At 25 mins, check if the lentils are tender.
• Meanwhile, prepare crispy onions. After chopping onions, place in a saucepan with vegetable oil and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Fry until browned and crispy, 10-15 minutes. Watch closely to make sure they don't burn. Remove onions from oil and dry on a paper towel-lined plate.** Add half of the fried onions to the lentil and bulgur mixture, stirring to infuse flavors and combine.
• Prepare yogurt by mixing coconut yogurt, lemon juice, salt, garlic, mint, and water, until smooth. Fold in diced cucumber.
• Top the hot mujadara with the rest of the crispy onions and serve with a side of cool cucumber mint yogurt; enjoy!

LENTILS, RICE AND CARAMELIZED ONIONS (MUJADARA)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep sauce pot over medium heat and sauté onions until translucent and caramelized, 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan and set aside.
• In the same pan, add lentils and increase heat to medium-high. Toast lentils for 60 seconds then add 6 cups water. Bring pot to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are halfway cooked, about 15 minutes.
• Add rice, salt and pepper to the pot and bring mixture to a boil. Stir once, cover with lid, then reduce heat to low. Cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Fluff lentils and rice with a fork before serving with caramelized onions. Serve with plain yogurt or Lebanese Cucumber Laban if you wish.

LEBANESE MUJADARA

Steps:

• Rinse lentils, strain and place in a large pot with 5 cups of water. Bring mixture to a boil, simmer and cook covered until the lentils are tender but not fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Most of the liquid should be absorbed.
• Rinse the rice, then transfer to the pot of lentils and season with salt. Add 2 cups water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook covered until the rice is tender, about 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Allow the rice to rest in the pot for about 5 minutes, without opening the lid, to absorb all the liquid and steam.
• In a separate large pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat and fry the chopped onions until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer on top of the lentils and rice mixture, add cumin and toss to combine.
• In the same large pan used to cook the onions, heat the remaining olive oil on medium heat and fry the sliced onions until golden brown and caramelized, about 15 minutes. In the last couple minutes of frying the onions, you can turn up the heat to high to get a crispy texture.
• Serve the caramelized onions on top of mujadara with yogurt and mint, if desired,

LENTILS AND BULGUR WHEAT PILAF (MUJADDARA HAMRA)

Steps:

• In a large, 3-quart pot over medium-low heat, heat [1/4] cup extra-virgin olive oil. Add yellow onions and 1 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring intermittently, for 20 minutes or until onions are dark brown but not burned.
• Add green lentils, water, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and cumin, and cook, stirring intermittently, for 40 minutes.
• Stir in black pepper and bulgur wheat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, fluff with a fork, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes.
• In a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat remaining [1/4] cup extra-virgin olive oil. Add pearl onions, and cook, stirring intermittently, for 15 minutes.
• To serve, spoon a few spoonfuls of lentil pilaf onto a plate and top with pearl onions.

MUJADARA WITH BULGUR

Steps:

• 1. Prepare bulgur according to instructions (I use Bob's red mill). 2. In large pot or dutch oven sauté onions in olive oil until crisp. Add minced garlic for the last 2 minutes. 3. Add lentils 3 cups of water , 2 teaspoons salt, bay leaf and cinnamon stick, cumin, cayenne and allspice. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat for 15- 20 minutes. 4. When most of the water is absorbed into the lentils and they are soft but firm add the just prepared bulgur (it should still be warm) to the lentils mix and let sit covered until the water is absorbed. 5. Adjust salt and pepper if desired 6. Just before serving add some high quality olive oil for taste and texture. 7.Can be served at room temperature or warm