MJADARA

Mjadara in an ancient and very common meal in middle eastern cuisine. There are several types of Mjadara - some of which are mjadara with rice ( sometimes referred to as mdardara), mjadara makhbousa (messy) and in this case mjadarra with bulgur.

It is a simple, humble, nutritious meal prepared with just 3 main ingredients- brown lentils, coarse bulgur (cracked wheat) & onions - all of which are pantry staples! It's delicious and suitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet! Lentils are rich in iron, folate and are a great source of protein. Bulgur is rich in fiber and packed with vitamins, minerals.

Although simple, mjadara comes to life with various sides that just make you crave mjadara often. You can serve mjadara with a salad - like a simple cucumber salad or fattoush, yogurt, pickled turnips, makdous (pickled stuffed eggplants), pickled cucumbers, olives and/or a vegetable platter (tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, mint & white onions).

The key to a successful mjadara is controlling the amount of water added to the pot. Too little water - the lentils and bulgur will not cook through. Too much water and it will turn into mush. Do not worry - it will be easy for you to spot the difference.

I have added the amount of water you can begin with - it should be sufficient for the entire meal however since grains may vary i'd suggest you keep an eye on your water level.

Start by rinsing the lentils. Place them in a large pot and add water. We will be cooking the lentils until soft first before adding in the bulgur.

While the lentils are cooking, caramelize the onions. Caramelized onions will give the mjadara a deep and rich flavor. Caramelizing onions is achieved by slowly cooking them in olive oil until this are browned. A trick I learnt from my mother is to add some sugar to the onions to help with the process. Onions have natural sugars so we do not need to use a lot of sugar.

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Mjadara

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups brown lentils

4 cups water*

2 cups brown coarse bulgur

5-6 onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 tbsp sugar

3 tsp cumin

slat to taste

Directions

1. Rinse the lentils thoroughly and drain. Place lentils in a large pot and add water.

2. Place pot on medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Do not drain any excess liquid.

3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, add onions and olive oil. Cook over medium-high heat stirring constantly.

4. Once the onions are cooked, reduce the heat and continue to stir as they begin to brown.

5. Add the sugar and continue to stir until onions are caramelized. Turn off heat and set aside.

6. Once lentils are soft, transfer onions and their oil to the large pot on top of the lentils and add the bulgur, cumin and salt.

7. Combine the ingredients together, reduce heat and let simmer for about 25 minutes or until the bulgur is cooked.

* More water may be required after adding the bulgur. the lentils should be "wet" enough for the bulgur to absorb the excess water to cook through. If the mixture gets too dry add some water, 1/2 cup at a time to allow the bulgur to cook.

8. Transfer to a serving dish. Mjadara can be served fresh off the stove, warm or cold. Drizzle with some olive oil if desired. Serve with your choice of sides: a simple cucumber salad or fattoush, yogurt, pickled turnips, makdous (pickled stuffed eggplants), pickled cucumbers, olives and/or a vegetable platter (tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, mint & white onions).

Store leftover in the fridge for up to 3 days.