Lentil Onion Mix (Printable Version)

Hearty lentils, pillowy rice, and slowly browned onions for a warm Middle Eastern hug in a bowl.

# Everything You’ll Need:

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01 - Five to five and a half cups water, pour in as you need
02 - A teaspoon of ground cumin
03 - 180 g brown or white rice, rinsed off
04 - Add as much black pepper as you want
05 - One and a half teaspoons salt, but keep a bit set aside
06 - 500 g onions, thinly sliced up—use yellow, red, or both
07 - Two bay leaves
08 - One tablespoon of veggie bouillon powder
09 - 300 g green or brown lentils, give ’em a good rinse
10 - Two tablespoons olive oil

# Steps to Cook:

01 - Wash your lentils and rice under water. For brown rice, soak it by itself for about 20 minutes, then drain. With white rice, let both lentils and rice chill in separate bowls of water for 20 minutes, then drain them off.
02 - Put the lentils in cold water while the rice cooks. Let them hang out for 20 minutes, then drain before using.
03 - While your rice cooks away, slice up all those onions super thin, then leave them out so you can fry ’em later.
04 - Dump the soaked brown rice and 600 ml water in a big saucepan, bring it to a boil. Mix in your veggie bouillon, a teaspoon salt, bay leaves, and black pepper. Put a lid on, then simmer on low for 20 minutes.
05 - Once 20 minutes go by, grab the drained lentils and throw in about 700 ml water with the rice. Swirl it all around, put the top on, and heat it till it starts to boil. Turn the heat way down and let it cook softly for 25 more minutes.
06 - Heat olive oil in a big frying pan on medium. Add every sliced onion you’ve got. Pop a lid on and cook for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Take off the lid, add cumin and the leftover salt, and let them cook open for 5-10 more minutes. Keep stirring so they get crispy and golden. Adjust the heat up or down to make them just how you want.
07 - Poke at your rice and lentils to see if they’ve softened up. If not, leave the lid off and simmer a bit longer. Once they’re soft, turn off the burner and let it chill, covered, so the steam finishes it off.
08 - Pull out the bay leaves and toss ’em. Stir about two-thirds of your sweet cooked onions into the lentil-rice pot, saving the rest for topping when you plate up.
09 - Scoop the mujadara into bowls. Top each bowl with the extra caramelized onions you set aside. Want to make it fancy? Spoon on dairy-free yogurt or throw on a handful of chopped parsley or cilantro.
10 - Going for white rice? Start by getting your soaked lentils cooked first. Add the bouillon, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and 700 ml water, then cover and cook 7-10 minutes. Add the drained white rice and another 480 ml water, bring it back to a boil, cover, and simmer low for 18-20 minutes till both parts are soft. If there’s any extra water left, just drain it out.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - Try green or brown lentils for best results—red or yellow will make it turn out mushy.
02 - Check the bag your rice comes in for water amounts and cooking times since different rices act differently.
03 - Getting ready doesn’t count the time things soak, so your prep might stretch longer.

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