Mjedra: Lentils with Rice and Onions
This is a Middle Eastern dish with a Middle Eastern name. It gets various spellings in English.
While the lentils simmer, put sea salt and 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan. Heat and stir, trying to melt the sea salt. Add chopped onions and sauté onions until they are translucent or slightly carmelized, whichever you prefer. (I typically carmelize them a bit.)
Heat the remaining oil in another pan and sauté rice until browned (about 3 minutes). Add the rice and onions to the pot of lentils. Stir thoroughly, cover and simmer until tender (about an hour).
You may need to add more water and salt. Add up to one cup of water and salt to taste. Stir occasionally.
It is traditionally served atop a salad of lettuce and other fresh veggies and topped with a dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, honey and spices. I made it once with the salad and the dressing. I didn't like it and ended up throwing out the rest of the dressing.
I typically serve it with brown bread or hearty crackers when fresh. I eat the leftovers by using them as the filling for vegetarian sandwiches using taco shells or pita shells. I usually fill the shells and stick them in the oven for a few minutes to reheat, though sometimes I just toast the shells in the toaster and add the cold mjedra to the warm shells.
This is almost but not quite a Low Prep recipe. It takes a bit of intensive effort up front and a little bit of monitoring of the water levels while simmering for the next hour.
- 3/4 cups lentils, rinsed
- 2 cups water
- 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 3/8 cups brown rice
While the lentils simmer, put sea salt and 1 tablespoon oil in a small pan. Heat and stir, trying to melt the sea salt. Add chopped onions and sauté onions until they are translucent or slightly carmelized, whichever you prefer. (I typically carmelize them a bit.)
Heat the remaining oil in another pan and sauté rice until browned (about 3 minutes). Add the rice and onions to the pot of lentils. Stir thoroughly, cover and simmer until tender (about an hour).
You may need to add more water and salt. Add up to one cup of water and salt to taste. Stir occasionally.
It is traditionally served atop a salad of lettuce and other fresh veggies and topped with a dressing made with olive oil, lemon juice, honey and spices. I made it once with the salad and the dressing. I didn't like it and ended up throwing out the rest of the dressing.
I typically serve it with brown bread or hearty crackers when fresh. I eat the leftovers by using them as the filling for vegetarian sandwiches using taco shells or pita shells. I usually fill the shells and stick them in the oven for a few minutes to reheat, though sometimes I just toast the shells in the toaster and add the cold mjedra to the warm shells.
This is almost but not quite a Low Prep recipe. It takes a bit of intensive effort up front and a little bit of monitoring of the water levels while simmering for the next hour.