Go Back
Print

Mujadara


Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Middle-Eastern
Servings 4

  • olive oil 1-2 tbsp (it could be any light flavoured oil really, sunflower etc would be fine)
  • onions 2 big or 4 small sliced in half long-ways and then thinly across-ways
  • lentils 1 cup (200g) (french green is best as they hold their shape - no need to splash out on Puy Lentils)
  • bulgar wheat medium ground rather than fine, 1 cup (200g)
  • mixed arabian spices 1-2 tbsp (I buy mine from a lovely lady in the Rag Market in Birmingham but any mix with coriander, cumin, cloves, ginger etc should be fine)
  • stock cube 1 vegetarian or chicken is good
  • water 4 cups
  • caramelised onions 3-4 big spoons

  1. In a large-ish pan, fry the onions over a medium heat until they are both soft and brown, it takes about 5-10 minutes.
  2. Add spices and stir around.
  3. Add lentils and boil f or 15 minutes without a lid
  4. Add crumbled stock cube and then bulgur wheat then cover and reduce heat to low (you should be able to hear the mixture at a gentle simmer)
  5. Cook for another 10 minutes then stir in caramelised onions, recover and cook for another 5
  6. Fluff up with a fork and serve with yoghurt.

The list of things that taste good with this is endless but I’ve enjoyed halloumi (everything is better with halloumi), hummus, spiced chickpeas, poached eggs, bhaba ganoush, roasted vegetables of pretty much any sort. It’s a brilliant background dish for meat too, particularly lamb as it’s earthy goodness brings out the sweetness of the meat.