What is the Ottolenghi rice and lentil dish?

Mejadra is an Arab comfort food that is widely eaten throughout the Middle East. It is a pilaf style rice dish that incorporates lentils and wonderful warming spices such as allspice, turmeric and cinnamon.

What is the history of Mujaddara?

The first recorded recipe for mujaddara appears in a cookbook from 1226 A.D. titled “Kitab al Tabikh” meaning “The Book of Dishes (Chovanec).” The dish originated with the need to provide maximum nutrition with the least amount of money. Therefore, it was popular among the lower classes of the Middle Eastern countries.

What is Ottolenghi style food?

From this, Ottolenghi has developed a style of food which is rooted in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions , but which also draws in diverse influences and ingredients from around the world.

How healthy is lentils and rice?

Lentils and rice contain all the necessary dietary minerals. They're high in B vitamins, folate, fibre and protein, and low in fat . Lentils help to reduce cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels.

Is Mujadara good for weight loss?

Lentils are a nutritional powerhouse, because apart from being high in protein and fibre while being low in fat, they are also essential for weight loss , heart health, low cholesterol and many other nutritional benefits.

What is Mujadara in English?

It keeps so well and is just as delicious warm from the pot the day it's made as it is as a leftover, eaten at cold, room temperature, or rewarmed. “Mujadara” comes from the Arabic word meaning “pockmarked,” likely a reference to the pebbly look of this dish with the round lentils and bulgur or rice.

What ethnic group eats lentils?

Lentil dishes are most widespread throughout South Asia, the Mediterranean regions, West Asia, and Latin America . In the Indian subcontinent, Fiji, Mauritius, Singapore and the Caribbean, lentil curry is part of the everyday diet, eaten with both rice and roti.

What to serve with Ottolenghi baked rice?

This is such a great side to all sorts of dishes: roasted root vegetables, slowcooked lamb or pork .

What is the difference between Mujaddara and Mudardara?

In one version, what the Lebanese call Mujaddara, the lentils are cooked seperately, then passed through a mill (to separate the skins from the content), after which the rice and fried onions are added. In the other, Mudardara, each ingredients is kept “separate” and whole.

What nationality is Mujadara?

What nationality is mujadara? While it's a popular dish in Levant countries like Israel and Lebanon, this Middle Eastern lentils dish actually originates from Mesopotamia a.k.a modern-day Iraq.

How many calories are in Mujadara?

Common serving sizes Serving Size Calories 1 oz 46 100 g 162 1 cup 390 Aug 28, 2020

Who first made lentil soup?

Lentil soup goes back to Genesis, with it possibly being the dish Jacob served Esau for his birthright and would have been eaten all over the Alexandrian empire, Middle East, and beyond.

What is the name of the Arabic rice dish?

Mandi , Arabic dish of rice, lamb and Hawaiian spices. Mansaf, Arabic dish of rice, jameed and lamb. Maqluba, Arabic dish of rice, meat and vegetables. Mujaddara, Arabic dish of lentils, rice and onion.

Why do you mix rice and lentils?

One cup of lentils contains almost all of the 9 amino acids apart from Methionine, which is infact found in rice. To get a complete protein source and all 9 amino acids , we have combined the lentils and rice together to make meal-times that little bit easier.

Ottolenghi's Mejadra Recipe (2024)

Ottolenghi’s Mejadra recipe is serious comfort food, Middle Eastern style. Mejadra, (or Mujaddara) is a hearty vegan and gluten free basmati rice and lentil dish that’s sustained Muslims, Christians, and Jews for centuries.

Now we all can get in on the action thanks to Yotam Ottolenghi, who included a recipe for it in his now famous cookbook, Jerusalem. I flip through the book whenever I’ve had a frustrating day in the kitchen, and I always come away with a gem.

This gorgeous lentil and rice pilaf can be a hearty appetizer, or a stow stopping vegan meal.

I’ve made quite a few of Ottolenghi’s recipes over the last couple of years and what continues to amaze me is how each one offers a slightly new flavor experience, This highly spiced rice is very different even from the other rice based dishes I’ve made from Jerusalem, like Caramelized Onion and Cardamom Rice, or the Basmati and Wild Rice with Chickpeas, Currants, and Herbs.

Ottolenghi somehow manages this fabulous variety without lots of hard to find or exotic ingredients. I made this dish straight from the pantry, which may be part of the reason it’s been so popular with so many cultures for so long.

Tip: Toast your spices before you add them to your recipes, it brings out the essential oils and allows their flavor to bloom.

The smokey aroma of toasting cumin and coriander seeds gives you a hint of what’s in store. A heavy but nuanced blend of more spices follows them into the pan, along with the basmati rice and par-cooked lentils. Then it’s just about 15 minutes of slow cooking, and a few more minutes of sitting by the side of the stove.

This dish isn’t complete without those glorious fried onions!

They add a salty, sweet, crisp element that pretty much defines comfort. You can make these ahead if you want, and leave them out, uncovered, until dinner time. I love the way the dish calls for half of them to be tossed in with the rice and the rest to be piled on top.

This dish makes such a pretty presentation that I think it would be great on a holiday table, and as an added bonus it provides a gluten free and vegetarian option for your guests.

Enjoy! (I know you will!)

Other Middle Eastern recipes to try ~

Persian Jeweled Rice

Shirazi Salad

How to Make Tzatziki Dip

Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Hummus

Mejadra

3.56 from 63 votes

Mejadra (from Jerusalem) is serious comfort food, Middle Eastern style. Mejadra, (or Mujaddara) is a hearty vegan and gluten free basmati rice and lentil dish that's sustained Muslims, Christians, and Jews for centuries.

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Prep Time:15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

fried onions

2 cups vegetable oil
1 large or 2 medium onions, sliced in 1/8 inch thick slices
3 Tbsp flour, omit for gluten free
pinch of salt

for the main dish

1 1/4 cups or 250g, green lentils
2 tsp cumin seeds
1½ Tbsp coriander seeds
1 cup or 200g, basmati rice
3 Tbsp olive oil
½ tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp ground allspice
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups or 350ml, water

garnish

chopped parsley

Instructions

Separate the onion slices into rings, and toss with the flour and salt.
Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onions, in batches, in the hot oil for about 5 minutes until they are browned and crisp. Test the oil by dropping an onion in, it should sizzle on contact. If the onions fry too quickly, reduce the heat. I found that 300F worked well, if you have a thermometer.
Drain the onions on paper towels and set aside.
Rinse the lentils well, put them in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for about 12 minutes, until the lentils have begun to soften, but still have some bite to them. Drain and set aside.
In a large pan heat the coriander and cumin seeds for a few minutes until you begin to smell their aromas. Add the rice, oil, spices, sugar, salt and pepper and stir to combine everything. Add the water and the cooked lentils. Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and cook on low for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, lift the cover and lay a fresh tea towel over the pan, replace the cover, and set aside for 10 minutes.
Turn the rice into a large bowl, and toss with half the fried onions. Place the rest of the onions on top of the rice, and serve, sprinkled with a little chopped parsley.

Notes

slightly adapted from Jerusalem

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: basmati, beans, cauliflower rice, dinner, gluten free, healthy, lentils, Middle Eastern, pilaf, vegan

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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