Mujaddara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions)

[Original Recipe from Thugs Kitchen 101 cookbook]

Original Recipe by Cookie and Kate

Cook time: 60 minutes || Serving: 6 || Rating 10/10 **

Ingredients

• 6-10 medium sweet onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 medium cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup brown brown-short/basmati rice, uncooked
• 1 cup brown or green lentils, uncooked
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Spice mixture:

• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• ground black pepper

For serving

• Spicy sauce (optional):
  • shatta,
  • zhoug,
  • chili-garlic sauce or
  • sriracha
• Green onions for garnish or cilatro
• Greek yogourt, hummus or tahini sauce

Instructions

Rice

1. In a medium size pot, boil 1 1/2 of broth (or as per instructions of your choice of rice).
2. Add 1 cup of rice. Stir. When boiling, turn the stove off and cover the pot. After 20 minutes, the rice should ready.

Lentils

1. Add lentils in a medium size pot and cover about a inch above the lentil with water over medium-high heat.
2. Let it boil until lentils are cooked.

Mujaddara

1. In a large pot, warm up the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onions and salt and cook them, stirring often, until they are all browned and cooked down (about 20 mins).
3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the spice mixture. Mix together. Cook for about 30 seconds
5. Add the lentils and rice and mix together very well.

Serve warm.