When I found this recipe, I thought it sounded too good to be true. It’s incredibly simple, but don’t think that it isn’t flavorful. Mujadarrah is amazingly good and definitely falls into the category of “comfort food”. Lentils, rice, and onions are a tasty combination.
Cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally:
1 onion, sliced into rings
a few T. of water to prevent sticking
Be patient with the onions! It’s completely worth the half hour to get them nice and browned. They get really soft and sweet in the process. Some swear by a certain kind of onion, but I usually use yellow onions, the ones I most commonly buy. Here’s a more in-depth tutorial if you want some visuals. I’ve never cooked them for an hour. I think 30 minutes is long enough to get the right flavor, and I don’t add any extra ingredients.
Meanwhile, put in the Instant Pot:
1 c. uncooked brown rice
1 c. uncooked lentils (no soaking needed)
3 1/2 c. water
Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes, then quick release. Stir in to season:
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
salt and pepper
the caramelized onions
Serve mujadarrah topped with plain yogurt or sour cream. Leftovers taste even better the next day!
Find more delicious, Middle Eastern recipes here.
Instant Pot Mujadarrah
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 onion sliced into rings
- 1 cup brown rice
- 1 cup lentils
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt
- pepper
- plain yogurt
Instructions
- Cook the onion over medium-low heat in a skillet until it caramelizes, about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.1 onion
- Add the rice, lentils, and water to the pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes with a quick release.1 cup brown rice, 1 cup lentils, 3 1/2 cups water
- Season the lentils and rice. Stir in the caramelized onions.1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, salt, pepper
- Serve topped with plain yogurt. Leftovers are even better the next day!plain yogurt