Description
Mejadra is a traditional Middle Eastern rice dish featuring fragrant basmati rice combined with brown lentils and a blend of aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cinnamon. It’s topped with crispy caramelized onions, offering a perfect balance of savory and sweet flavors. This recipe is quick and easy to prepare, making it ideal for a flavorful weeknight meal or a satisfying side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices and Rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp cumin seeds (or 1 tsp ground cumin)
- 1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds (or 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander)
- 1 cup basmati or long grain rice, uncooked
- 1 1/4 cup (315 ml) water
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Lentils
- 400g (14 oz) canned brown lentils, drained (1 can)
Caramelized Onions
- 3 large or 4 small onions, very finely sliced
- 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable or sunflower oil
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Spices: Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and coriander seeds, and toast them until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. If using ground spices instead, add them later with the other ground spices.
- Cook the Rice and Lentils: Add the basmati rice to the pan and stir to coat with the oil and spices. Pour in the water along with the turmeric, cinnamon, sugar, salt, black pepper, and drained lentils. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
- Prepare the Caramelized Onions: While the rice cooks, heat the vegetable or sunflower oil in a separate pan over medium heat. Add the finely sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions become deeply golden and crispy, about 15-20 minutes. Avoid burning by adjusting the heat as needed.
- Combine and Serve: Once the rice and lentils are cooked, fluff them gently with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and top generously with the crispy caramelized onions. Serve warm as a main dish or side.
Notes
- Using canned brown lentils saves time; if using dried lentils, soak and cook them separately beforehand.
- If you prefer, you can use ground cumin and coriander instead of whole seeds; add these along with turmeric and cinnamon.
- The water amount may vary slightly depending on the rice type; adjust as needed for perfectly cooked rice.
- Caramelizing onions requires patience but adds a signature sweet, savory depth to the dish.
- This dish pairs well with yogurt or a fresh cucumber salad.
