FoodBanter.com - View Single Post - Lentils and rice

Victor Sack[_1_]

wrote:
>
> Has anyone tried cooking lentils and rice together ?
> In a rice cooker ? On the stove ?
> Timing ? Proportions of liquid to solids ?

Check out mejeddarah (mujaddara, megadarra, moudardarah, etc.,
transliteration varies). The dish is also known as Potage Esau,
for which Esau supposedly sold his birthright. The dish is
supposed to be cooked with no rice, just with lentils or with an
addition of bulgur, as rice was unknown in the Middle East in
the biblical times, but nowadays it is often made with rice. A
somewhat similar dish in India is known as khichri. Proportions
of ingredients vary according to individual preferences, as do
cooking times, which depend on the texture one prefers. The
dish can also be made in a pressure cooker. Here is a typical
recipe from
<http://www.cookingwiththebible.com/reader/Default.aspx/GR3410-306/recipe/>
If sumac is unavailable, I'd replace it with cumin.

Mejeddarah (Lentils with Rice)

2 cups lentils (about 1 lb.)
8 cups water
2 large Spanish onions, chopped
1/2 cup olive oil, plus a splash
2 Tbsp. sumac
1 cup brown (or white) rice, uncooked
salt and pepper to taste

Sort through the lentils to remove any small stones that might
have gotten mixed in during the drying process. Wash thoroughly,
and drain in a colander. Place lentils in a large pot with the
water and bring to a boil; lower the heat and continue to cook
for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the onions in the olive oil and sumac until
they begin to caramelize. Add uncooked rice, onions, and pan
residue to the lentils. Continue cooking about 45 minutes until
lentils are barely mushy, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

Serve hot or cold.

Yield: 8 servings

--
Victor