Mujadara Safra (Vegan Yellow lentils)

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Put the 1 cup dry red split lentils and ¼ cup dry short-grain rice together in a pot. Rinse them several times with water, draining and discarding the rinsing water each time.

   Uses 1 cup dry red split lentils · ¼ cup dry short-grain rice · Water as needed to rinse the lentils and rice; drain and discard

2. 2

   Step 2: Add all 4 cups cold cooking water to the drained lentils and rice. Bring to the boil, which the author estimates at about 10 minutes, and skim away the white foam as it rises; stay with the pot and use the boil as the endpoint.

   Check for the boil and skim foam · 10 minUses All rinsed lentils and rice from step 1 · 4 cups cold water for cooking

3. 3

   Step 3: Stir in about 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ tsp paprika and ⅛ tsp black or white pepper. Turn down to the lowest gentle simmer and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Start the simmer timer now, and prepare the onion in steps 4–6 while this same simmer continues.

   Check the lentils and rice · 40 minUses All boiling lentils, rice and retained cooking water from step 2 · About 1 tsp salt for the lentils · ¼ tsp turmeric · ¼ tsp paprika · ⅛ tsp black or white pepper

4. 4

   Step 4: While the lentils and rice simmer, chop the large onion (1) and sauté it in a separate pan with all 4 tbsp regular olive oil. Stir and watch the onion until golden; the author gives no fixed sauté time.

   Uses 1 large onion, chopped · 4 tbsp regular olive oil for the onion

5. 5

   Step 5: Remove half of the golden onions with their accompanying oil and stir this half into the simmering lentil-and-rice pot. Keep the other half in the onion pan. Continue the gentle simmer for the remainder of the approximately 40-minute phase started in step 3; do not start another 40-minute period.

   Uses The simmering spiced lentils, rice and liquid from step 3 · Half the golden onion batch and its accompanying oil from step 4

6. 6

   Step 6: Continue sautéing the remaining half of the golden onions over low heat until caramelised, stirring often so they do not burn. Set this caramelised half aside for the garnish.

   Uses The remaining half of the golden onion batch and its accompanying oil from step 4

7. 7

   Step 7: At the end of the simmer, check for a loose, risotto-like texture and fully softened lentils and rice. It should still be a little looser than the final serving texture because it thickens as it rests. Taste, add extra salt only if needed, then turn off the heat.

   Uses All lentils, rice, cooking liquid and the added golden half-onion batch from step 5 · Extra salt to taste only if needed at the finish

8. 8

   Step 8: Leave the finished lentil-and-rice mixture off the heat for around 30 minutes to settle and thicken before eating.

   Rest the mujadara safra · 30 minUses All finished, seasoned lentils and rice from step 7

9. 9

   Step 9: Divide the rested mujadara safra among the author’s four servings. Garnish with all the caramelised onion half set aside in step 6.

   Uses All rested mujadara safra from step 8 · All of the caramelised remaining half-onion batch set aside in step 6