On Aug 20, 8:53*pm, Leila > wrote:
> On Aug 15, 4:23*am, Victor Sack > wrote:
>
>
>
> > 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/rec....>
> > 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
>
> OK I'll chime in, since mujaddarah is my family's home-cooking soul
> food (the Lebanese half of my family, that is).
>
> Victor's recipe looks pretty good. However, I would make one simple,
> crucial change:
>
> Only add HALF the cooked onions to the lentils with the uncooked rice.
> Time it so that the onions are nice and golden but not caramelized yet
> when you're ready to add the rice. Half the onions go in with the
> rice, to cook, and then the other half of the onions continue to cook
> in the second skillet until caramelized. Serve the remaining onions on
> the top of the mujaddarah after you've turned it out on a plate. I.e.,
> the super caramelized onions are garnish. Also, drizzle with olive
> oil.
>
> On the timing. If you are using white rice, then here's the timing -
> give the lentils total of 45 minutes to an hour. (Green or brown flat
> lentils sometimes take that long for me, I don't know why. Old maybe?
> I buy them frequently). The white rice only needs like twenty minutes.
> Don't cook white rice 45 minutes! Gak!
>
> If you are using brown rice then it should go in with the lentils at
> the same time.
>
> If you are using burghul (bulgar) wheat, then that should go in about
> 20 minutes before the end, like for white rice.
>
> My family used burghul (which they grew and processed themselves until
> about 45 years ago). Rice is for refined city people! I like the
> texture of mjaddarah with white rice much, much better even though
> it's not as wholesome or "authentic".
>
> Now, to talk about cooking lentils with rice in a cooker - another
> story entirely. I figure about a quarter cup lentils to one cup rice,
> and I measure out the water using the particular rice package's
> instructions (they vary on water recommendation). Then I add about 3/4
> water for the lentils, i.e. 3:1 proportion - they need more room to
> expand. A bouillon cube, or stock instead of water, makes all the
> difference, and you'll want a fat in there like butter or olive oil.
> This makes a pilaf that has some lentils in it, not a gluey mjaddarah
> concoction. This is just super simple. Spice as you wish. The Indian
> trick of sauteeing onions with say, cumin seed and sprinkling that
> over the rice is similar to what I suggest with mjaddarah. It's
> yummy. *You could also garnish with toasted almond slivers or pine
> nuts, currants, and/or bits of ground meat sauteed with onions and
> spices.
>
> Or you could stud the pilaf with bits of leftover chicken or other
> meat. Tricks to further leftovers.
>
> Serve this with pickle as a condiment, for digestion. Pickles are good
> for you, it turns out.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Leila

Note my correction upthread on my lentils-n-rice in the cooker
discussion. My directions only work with brown rice. Don't try it with
white rice.

Leila