Mdardra
Here is another timely recipe: Mdardra. It's a Lebanese dish, like a rice pilaf with lentils and golden onions. The ingredient list is super small and the recipe is easy to make. It's healthy, satisfying and vegan! Everyone will be happy.
Best part? This is a dish served at room temperature or cold. Hello leftovers!! :)
Mdardra / Rice Lentil Pilaf
Recipe credits: Rafaella Sargi
Recipe updated on October 5th, 2022.
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cup rice, rinsed until water runs clear (I use medium grain)
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus more for serving)
1/2 cup onion (or shallots), finely chopped and fried (optional)*
Directions
Prep all the ingredients.
You need two pots with lids (one medium and one large), and a sieve.
In a medium pot, place the rinsed lentils with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 5 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once at a rolling boil, lower the heat to medium, let it simmer until the lentils are just cooked through. It really depends of the type of lentils you are using, I would check after 20 minutes for doneness. They should be cooked but not mushy. Once ready, drain the lentils and discard the cooking water. Set aside.
In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onion with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and cook until golden brown. It will take some time... mix often, be patient (and don’t let them burn). Lower the heat to medium-low, add the cooked lentils, the rice, then mix gently to combine all the ingredients (and have the rice be coated with a little bit of the oil you used for the onions, the rice should look a little shiny…). Pour 4 cups of water, and add 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Mix (again). Bring back to a boil then lower the heat to the minimum available, cover and let it cook for approximately 30 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked and the lentils are completely soft.
Serve at room temperature or cold with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and topped with fried onions.
This dish goes super well with a lemony Cabbage Salad or a Romaine Cucumber Slaw.
*You can add fried onions on top of the dish when serving. (Use your favorite technique to fry or caramelize the onions. Personal favorite: In this dish, I prefer them to be a little crunchy and I was able to achieve the best results using shallots. Just finely slice one or two shallots, and fry them with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt in a small frying pan. Once golden, remove the shallots and let them drain for a few minutes on a plate lined with paper towel. Voila!)
