Mujaddara
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mujaddara, also known as Mejadra or Mudardara, consists of cooked lentils together with wheat or rice, garnished with onions that have been sauteed in olive oil.
Cooked lentils are popular all over the Middle East and form the basis of many dishes. Mujaddara is a popular Levantine dish, and may be served on its own or with other vegetables and side dishes: it is equally good hot and cold. This dish is a main staple of the Lebanese and Palestinian diet today, both in the Middle East and in America. At one time it was regarded as a poor man's dish, but today it is considered a high protein, balanced healthy food by many Americans. It is sometimes nicknamed "Esau's favourite", after the Biblical story of Esau selling his birthright for a "mess of pottage". Jews from Syria and Egypt traditionally ate it twice a week: hot on Thursday evening, and cold on Sunday.
It has two variants, yellow and brown. Red split lentils are used in the yellow one, and green lentils are used in the brown one.
A similar dish known as Khichdi (cf. kedgeree) is popular in the Indian subcontinent and among the Indian community in the United Kingdom.
[edit] Recipe
- Fry chopped onions in olive oil until dark brown. Put aside 1/2 of sauteed onions, leave the rest in the main pan.
- Rinse lentils, add 1/2 cup to pan.
- Add 1/4 cup of cracked wheat (rinse first). Or substitute with 1/4 cup of rice.
- Submerge in water, water should be approximately 1/4 of an inch above lentil mix.
- Bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until lentils and wheat or rice is fully cooked.
- By now water should have evaporated completely, if not add salt to speed up evaporation.
- Add salt according to taste, top with sauteed onion/olive oil mix. Serve hot or cold with fresh pita.
