Mdardara, also known as mjaddara, consists of lentils and rice, cooked together with olive oil, salt and pepper, and garnished with caramelized onions. Make it just once, and you will be craving this hearty and simple dish very often.
I grew up in a Lebanese home, and this dish is my all-time favourite. The smell of caramelized onions in the kitchen always brings me back in time, to those meatless Fridays and Wednesdays. My mom would prepare a huge pot of mdardara accompanied with a brightly dressed, crisp mixed salad. And if she had time on her hands, she would be also frying a whole lot of French fries and mix a bowl of hommos bi tahini elevating our lunch to a glorious meal.
Choice of lentils and rice
You can use green or brown lentils, and long-grain white rice to prepare your mdardara. The cooking time for the lentils might vary depending on the quality of the lentils. I have noticed that the lentils used in Lebanon require more time (hence a bit more water) to become tender, compared to the lentils we have here in Germany.
As for the rice, I opted for Parboiled rice in my cooking courses to avoid a mushy result and disappointed students. A perfect mdardara should come out fluffy not sticky. For best result use long-grain white rice, the right amount of water and enough olive oil to make it shine. I have been cooking mdardara with Basmati rice lately, and I am loving it!
How to caramelize onions
The best way to caramelize onions is to slowly cook them in olive oil until they become richly brown. As onions are sweet, the natural sugars in them will caramelize releasing a deep wonderful flavour. I sometimes sprinkle a little of sugar on the onions while cooking. It accelerates the process giving the onions more colour and crispiness.
- Peel onions then cut in half through their roots, then lengthwise into thin slices.
- Heat oil over medium heat and add the onions, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of salt and stir well.
- Cook onions over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until nicely brown and caramelized.
Mdardara
Ingredients
- 200 g green lentils picked and rinsed several times, drained
- 900 ml cold water
- 3 medium onions about 300 g, peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moon shapes
- 125 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 150 g Parboiled rice rinsed and drained
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the lentils and water to a medium pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Then turn the heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes. The lentils should be half-cooked at this point.
- In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, and sauté the onions, for about 20 minutes, or until and caramelized, stirring often. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon onto a plate. Set the pan with the oil aside for later use.
- Add the rice, oil, salt and pepper to the lentils. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
- Transfer mdardara onto a serving platter and garnish the top with the onions. Serve warm or cold with a mixed salad of your choice.
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