Lebanese Mujadara

🛒 Ingredients

🍚 1 cup long-grain or basmati rice, rinsed
💧 4½ cups water, plus more for soaking the rice
🫒 ½ cup olive oil
🧅 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
🫘 2 cups brown lentils, rinsed and drained
🧂 1 tsp salt
🌿 2 tsp cumin

🥒 Optional for Serving

🥒 Cucumber yogurt sauce

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Place the rice in a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside to soak.

2️⃣ Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.

3️⃣ Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat.

4️⃣ Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring constantly, for about 20 minutes until deeply browned and crispy around the edges.

5️⃣ Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to the prepared plate. Reserve the onion-flavored oil in the pot.

6️⃣ In a separate pot, add the lentils and water.

7️⃣ Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

8️⃣ Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes.

9️⃣ Drain the soaked rice and rinse well.

🔟 Add the rice and salt to the pot with the lentils.

1️⃣1️⃣ Stir once, then cover again with the lid.

1️⃣2️⃣ Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.

1️⃣3️⃣ Remove the pot from the heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

1️⃣4️⃣ Add the cumin.

1️⃣5️⃣ Fluff the rice and lentils gently with a fork until well combined.

1️⃣6️⃣ Drizzle the reserved onion oil over the mujadara.

1️⃣7️⃣ Top generously with the crispy onions.

1️⃣8️⃣ Serve warm with cucumber yogurt sauce, if desired.