Everyday Kitchen

Middle Eastern · Dinner

Mujadara

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
VegEasy

Diet: Veg · Vegan · Gluten-free · High-protein

Cook brown basmati rice and brown lentils together. Fold in slow-browned onions and chopped herbs.

Prep
25 min
Cook
35 min
Rest
10 min
Total
70 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Course
Dinner

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of mujadara
Representative rice and lentils with onions; this draft specifically uses brown basmati. This photograph is not a tested result of our draft recipe. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 4

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Seasoning and finishing

Main ingredients

Liquids

Equipment

Heavy saucepan with lid; wide frying pan; sieve; wooden spoon.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Start the rice · About 10 min

  1. Rinse 240 ml brown basmati rice in the sieve.
  2. Put 1200 ml water, 4 cloves peeled garlic, 2 leaves bay leaves, 1 tbsp cumin, 1.167 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper in the saucepan.
  3. Bring the water to a boil.
  4. Add the drained rice.
  5. Cover the saucepan.
  6. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.

Add the lentils · About 25 min

  1. Add 240 ml dry brown lentils, rinsed.
  2. Cover the saucepan again.
  3. Simmer for 20–25 minutes.

    Check: Both rice and lentils should be tender, with no hard centres.

  4. If either remains firm, cook for another 5 minutes before checking again.
  5. Drain any unabsorbed water through the sieve.
  6. Return the rice and lentils to the saucepan.
  7. Turn off the heat.
  8. Leave the saucepan covered for 10 minutes.

Brown the onions while the rice and lentils cook

  1. Heat 79.2 ml olive oil in the frying pan over medium heat.
  2. Add 2 large thinly sliced onions and the remaining 0.583 tsp salt.
  3. Cook for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes.

    Check: The onions should become deep gold without black edges.

  4. If the onions darken too quickly, reduce the heat.

Combine · About 1 min

  1. Remove the bay leaves and whole garlic cloves from the rice.
  2. Fold half the browned onions into the rice and lentils.
  3. Fold in 120 ml chopped spring onions and 120 ml chopped parsley.
  4. Scatter the remaining onions over the top.

Tips

  • Use brown basmati and dry brown lentils; white rice and red lentils cook differently.

Substitutions

  • Use brown lentils instead of green lentils with a doneness check.

Storage

  • Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.
  • Reheat cooked dishes to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning for even heating. Serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts directly from safe refrigeration.
  • For sauces and soups, add a little water if thick and reheat gently. Crisp coatings soften after storage.

Make ahead

  • Slice onions ahead; cook the rice-and-lentil mixture close to serving.

FAQ

Why brown onions slowly?

Gentle cooking develops sweetness without burning.

Can I use canned lentils?

They need different timing; this draft measures dry lentils.

How should I store mujadara?

Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.

Recipe source and adaptation

Measured home adaptation: Cookie and Kate: Mujadara (Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions).

Concise adaptation; quantities and method are stated for this draft.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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