Mujadara Salad (Lentil and Rice Salad)
- Serves: 6
Mujadara, a salad of rice, lentils and crispy fried onions is served across the Middle East in various forms and goes by differing names, depending on where you are.
- Dairy Free
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Salad
- Sides & Relish
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 4 gloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 tblspn ground cumin
- 2tspn sea salt
- 1tspn cracked black pepper
- 1 cup of basmati rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large brown onions, sliced finely
- 4 large spring onions sliced (green part only)
- 1 bunch coriander chopped roughly
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts or blanched chopped almonds
- 1 lemon
- 5 cups of water
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- Greek Yoghurt for serving (if vegan, replace this with a coconut yoghurt)
Place the raisins in a small bowl. Squeeze in juice from half the lemon and add 1 tblspn very boiling water over the raisins. This will plump them up. Stir to combine and set aside until ready to use.
Heat all but a little of the oil to a medium to high heat in a deep frypan and cook the onions until they are almost crispy, being careful not to burn. Place onto draining paper and set aside.
In a large pot, add the water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the rice and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a controlled simmer, for 10 minutes. Stir in the lentils and let the mixture return to a simmer. Cover again, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice and lentils are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
While this is cooking, in large deep frypan heat the rest of the oil. Add the garlic and fry slowly over gentle heat. When just starting to turn golden add the cumin and black pepper and heat slightly, allowing them to become fragrant. Stand to one side.
Once the rice and lentil mix is cooked, drain thoroughly. Once drained add this mixture to the garlic and cumin and stir through. Drain the raisins and add these to the rice along with the toasted nuts. Add 3/4’s of the spring onions, coriander and crispy onions and mix through.
Spoon onto a presentation plate and top with the remaining crispy onions, coriander, green onions and then the mint leaves to serve. Squeeze the remaining half a lemon over the rice mixture.
Serve with a dollop or two of Greek Yoghurt on the top.
By: Chrissy Rob
