Curry Mujadara

Mujadara is a very tasty dish and there are many variations of this recipe. This is my version of mujadara, to which I have added curry and some other flavoring agents such as garlic and lemon. So prepare your taste buds for an adventure of flavors that will knock your socks off!

Ingredients:

1 cup of white rice
3/4 cup of green or black lentils
1/2 tablespoon of yellow curry
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoon of minced cilantro
1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 red onion, half chopped into cubes and half julienned
1/2 lemon, zest and juice
Olive oil
Salt

Preparation:

1. Place lentils in a pot and add just enough water to cover them. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender but not fully cooked.

2. In the meantime wash the rice under water for about 1 minute and set aside.

3. To a large sauté pan on medium heat drizzle some olive oil, and wait for it to get hot.

4. When the oil's hot, add the cubbed onions, and when translucent add the minced garlic.

5. After a couple of minutes add the cumin, curry, lemon zest and juice.

6. Add the clean rice to the mixture. Fold the rice until it has been fully coated by the oil and spices.

7. At this point add the rice mixture to the pot of lentils. Mix everything well together and add 2 cups of water and salt to taste. Wait for it to boil, then cover with a lid, lower the temperature to medium-low heat and cook for 20 minutes. DO NOT OPEN THE POT until the 20 minutes have passed! Opening the lid will allow the steam that helps the rice cook, to escape and it will then take longer and it may not cook evenly. If you are doing this recipe with brown rice, cook the rice for 40 minutes undisturbed.

8. While the rice and lentil mixture is cooking, grab a large sautéing pan and put it at medium heat. Drizzle olive oil in it and wait for it to get hot.

9. Add the julienned red onions and fry until they are golden brown and crispy, about 40 minutes.

10. When the rice is done add the cilantro and mix it in well. Serve the rice with crispy onions on top, and squeeze some lemon juice on top if you'd like to add some tang.