For an Arabic staple, mujadara is probably one of the most accessible and simple recipes to cook. It became my lifeline when I left my home, Damascus, Syria to attend a boarding school in the Unites States.
Mujadara, which literally translates to “pockmarked” or “scarred” is a hearty and comforting dish. It’s ideal to prepare in the winter when the temperatures are down, and you want to spend a cosy night inside. I remember my mother cooking it on chilly school days and we would eat it with cucumber and sour yoghurt, which gives the dish a nice contrast. If you ask my mother about her secret tip for the perfect mujadara, she will definitely say that the onions must be caramelised and have a rich golden colour. To do that, make sure to wet the onions after cutting them and fry them immediately before they become too moist.
Mujadara is a hearty and inexpensive meal to cook.
This recipe makes four servings.
Ingredients
2 cups of brown lentils
4 cups of bulgur
4 cups of water
½ cup of vegetable oil
1 small spoon of starch
1 small spoon of flour
3 yellow onions
Method:
Wash the lentils thoroughly and strain them, then add 4 cups of water.
Cook the lentils until they’re tender. Cover and let them steam for half an hour.
While the lentils are cooking, slice the onions and add the starch along with the flour.
Fry the onions with vegetable oil and stir them continuously.
Keep frying the onion for 10-15 minutes until they’re crispy and have a golden colour.
Drain the lentils. Keep the lentil water. There should be two cups of lentil water. If not, top up with fresh water.
Add the bulgur and lentil water on top of the lentils and add the salt and olive oil. Bring to a boil and then simmer. Cover and leave until the bulgur has absorbed moisture
Combine the onions with the lentils and bulgur and sprinkle a couple extra crispy onions on the top.
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