Majadra

Submitted by AbbaGav

"I wanted to make Majadra, just like my kids get for lunch at their Israeli schools. Majadra is basically a combination of lentils and rice. Sounds simple, but if it isn't done right children will somehow know the difference. This is how I use what a site called IsraeliKitchen.com had to offer. The recipe basically involves preparing the lentils and rice separately (but in that special, correct way) and then mixing them together."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 10mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Serves: 8

ingredients

• Rice

• 1 1⁄2 cups white rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups water, boiling
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt

• Lentils

• 3⁄4 cup brown lentils
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups water

• Flavoring

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt, pepper to taste

directions

1. Rinse the rice and drain it.
2. Heat the 2 tbs olive oil at the bottom of a cooking pot and add the rice, stirring to coat the grains with oil.
3. When rice is transparent, or after a minute or two, add the garlic. Stir half a minute and add salt and then the 3 cups of boiling water.
4. Bring it back to a boil, then cover and lower the flame to lowest setting. Cook the rice until the water is evaporated and the rice is tender.
5. Set aside the rice.
6. Pick over the lentils and rinse. Simmer them in the water with the bay leaf until they are soft but not mushy, probably 30-40 minutes. You can add more water if they are drying out but need more time to cook. When they are done, drain if there is any leftover water.
7. Add salt to flavor the lentils when they are done and remove the bay leaf. Set aside. (You can probably do the rice and lentils mostly at the same time).
8. Slice the onions very thin.
9. Caramelize the onions in the 2 tbs olive oil, on a very low flame, until they are soft and golden, not brown and crisp.
10. Add the cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper to the onions.
11. Now combine: fluff the rice with a fork. Add the lentils and stir. Stir in some of the onions and perhaps leave some to go on the top.

Reviews

[Karen Elizabeth]

I was in no hurry, so cooked this just as directed, for accompanying AbbaGavs recipe#477646. The recipe makes plenty, so we had plenty leftover to enjoy again later on! A tasty and nutritious rice dish, would go well with anything. I enjoyed the flavours, and found the whole meal excellent. Thank you!!! mad3e for PAC Fall 2012

 

[La Dilettante]

This is truly tasty! I used what I had on hand, which was brown rice and red lentils, and it turned out very nicely. So healthy, too!