Monday Mujadara

Mujadara

I'm back in Wheeling, WV for a long Mother's Day weekend. We had a gargantuan brunch on Sunday at Oglebay and for dinner we all had a hankering for something completely different. So, my mom (and I!) decided to whip up some Mujadara, coupled with a Mint & Cucumber Yogurt Salad (similar to the Greek dish, tsiziki) for dinner. There was a time in my adolescence when tabouli, mujadara and this yogurt salad would be served at every family or holiday event, but over the years these Middle-eastern standards have fallen off our party menus. Perhaps a comeback is in order?

You can find mujadara at any middle-eastern restaurant in New York, but it's somewhat of an odd dish for a Filipino household located in the Ohio Valley. My aunt has Jordanian ancestry and her sister is married to someone Lebanese. They are all pretty close with my family, so their food, became our food! That's how it goes. Anyhoo, it's so easy to make.

• Slice 3 onions into rings and saute in olive oil till the onions caramelize
• Set apart half of the onions and put on a dish
• Add 1 cup of lentils, 1/2 cup of rice and 5 cups of water and bring to a boil and simmer

• Add 1 1/2 tsp of salt to taste.
• Monitor till cooked
• Add the rest of the onions on top, when ready to serve

I actually like more rice in mine, so I'll play around with the proportions the next time I make it at home.

We weren't that hungry last night and ate the dish on its own, but it's a full meal served with lamb or chicken. Will probably be making this for the next month, so let me know if you like lentils and I'll invite you over for a meal.