Mejadra
This easy Mejadra is a fragrant Middle Eastern pilaf of spiced rice and lentils, topped with addictive crispy fried onions. A healthy, vegetarian meal that's packed with flavor and ready in 30 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 380kcal
Equipment
- Medium Saucepan with Lid
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati or long-grain rice, uncooked
- 1 14 oz (400g) can brown lentils, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1 tsp ground cumin)
- 1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds (or 1.5 tsp ground coriander)
- 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- to taste black pepper
- 1.25 cups (315 ml) water (see notes)
- 3-4 onions, very thinly sliced
- 1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan. Fry thinly sliced onions in batches for 5 mins until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium. Add cumin and coriander seeds; toast 1-2 mins until fragrant. Stir in rice to coat.
- Add water, lentils, turmeric, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook for 12-15 mins.
- Remove from heat (do not uncover) and let rest for 10 mins. Then, fluff rice with a fork.
- Gently fold in most of the crispy onions. Transfer to a serving dish, top with reserved onions and fresh herbs. Serve warm.
Notes
Pro Tips: The key to perfect texture is to use slightly less water than usual because the canned lentils add moisture; check your rice package and reduce the water by ¼ cup. For a huge time-saver, use high-quality store-bought fried shallots or onions instead of making your own—they're a fantastic substitute. For a complete Middle Eastern feast, serve this alongside our Chicken Shawarma-inspired recipes or with a dollop of cool yogurt.