Mjadra

I have hesitated for a long time to share this recipe because I know it might not look that appealing when you see it on the picture, but it is really worth trying! It is one of the most famous dishes in the Lebanese cuisine, is really rich in proteins and fibbers and is really quick to make.

Ingredients for 4 portions:

• 2 cups of brown lentils
• 4 cups of water (same size as the one used for the lentils obviously J )
• 1 onion
• 2 large tablespoons of uncooked rice
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Times:

• Preparation: 15 mins
• Cooking: 30 mins
• Rest: none

1- Rinse and drain the lentils a couple of time. Heat the 4 cups of water, poor it into a large bowl and add the lentils. Leave for about 20 minutes to soften them a little bit.

2- Chop the onion and cook it into a hot pan for a couple of minutes with a teaspoon max of oil over medium heat until transparent.

3- Add the lentils and their dipping water to the onions in the pan, with the olive oil, the rice, salt and pepper. Stir a little bit and let it cook for 25 to 30 minutes over medium heat, while stirring from time to time.

4- If at the end of the cooking time they are not well cooked, add a little bit of water, and leave for 5 more minutes. The lentils should be barely crunchy and the rice cooked properly.

5- Keep in mind that while it will cool down, the mjadra will set and hardened a little bit and become more like a puree, so don’t leave it too much over the heat neither.

6- This dish is good either cold from the fridge, or at room temperature, or even warm, it is really up to you. We usually have it with tomato and/or cucumber and/or green salad, a dash of olive oil and of course, the sacred bread, that we have with almost everything in the Lebanese cuisine 🙂