Pert lentils pan cooked with earthy cumin tender rice topped with sweet caramelised onions, bitter parsley and spring onions; Mujaddara.
Galvanise your rocket into action and ride to the moon.
This dish will obliterate any belief that vegan food can’t be easily tossed together.
Make this:
- When its winter and you feel like a hearty meal with alleviate all those hunger pangs
- When you’ve had a really tough day. And, to top it all, a well-deserved. Plus, a comfort dish that’s nourishing. Yet, super yummy. No worries, you’ll be relaxing in front of the sofa in no time
- When you’ve just had a long hike and a dish that will satiate and hit all the high-notes is a prerequisite
Mujaddara (Lentils, Rice and Caramelised Onions) was inspired by a Middle-Eastern friend who’d rustled this up for me. I was in awe with the ease with which dish was made, created my own.
Mujaddara is a frugal dish only requiring basis ingredients of lentils, rice and caramelised onions. I use simple long grain rice and brown lentils.
Mujaddara is vegan and Middle-Eastern cuisine.
What equipment to use
For this recipe, I suggest:
Stove
What to do next
Tag me on @ethiveganquantum on Instagram to show me what you’ve made and let me know you’re happy for me to share.
My recipes are featured in vegan speciality publications: Nourished, Vegan Life, Plant Based and Vegan, Food and Living.
Order my first self-published book, “Essence: The Beginner’s Guide to Veganism” part of the three-part Circle of Food series. My second book “Presence: The Ascending Vegan” – which explores how to maintain a vegan practice is out in 2027 – I have compiled all the chapters including recipes.
Going strong since 2013.
Love.
Edward x
Ingredients
- 8 medium onions, sliced
- 6tbs olive oil
- 2tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 250g brown lentils
- 250g long rice
- 1.5litre filtered water
- Season to taste
- Few sprigs of parsley
- Spring onion
- Lemon
Instructions
- In a large non-stick saucepan. Toss in the remaining oil. Add in the cumin and cayenne pepper and a tablespoon of water too. Continue cooking for about a minute until you form a paste.
- Add the rice to the mixture so that the granules are coated. Then add the remaining water and lentils and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 30 minutes. The water should almost evaporate and the rice tender. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Switch off the heat, place the lid on top and allow the mixture to steam for a further 10 minutes.
Top tip – I usually use a clean dishcloth, which I place under and around the lid. This helps give the rice the texture that remaining fluffy texture that I love.
- In a separate large non-stick saucepan with lid place 2tbs oil and gently heat over a medium heat. Add the onions and salt. Cover with lid and allow to steam. Turn occasionally as they turn translucent. Reduce to a low heat and then allow to caramelise to a dark brown colour. Return lid and stir occasionally. Don’t worry about burning – as this simply adds to the caramelised flavour. This process should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Set to one side.
- Garnish with a few sprigs of parsley, spring onion, lemon and serve with yoghurt and
