Lentils with Fried Onions

Mujaddara is comfort food in our house.  Lentils and rice topped with fried onions served with thick Greek yogurt,  this dish is loaded with flavor despite the modest list of ingredients.  Serve with a Jerusalem Salad for a healthy, filling weeknight dinner.  Our salad includes Kyoto Mizuna, Matt's Wild Cherry tomatoes, Red Rib Dandelion Greens, Marketmore Cucumbers, and California Wonder Sweet Peppers from the garden, the last of our summer harvest thanks to Friday's snow.

Mujaddara
based on Mary Bsisu's recipe in The Arab Table

Ingredients

2              cups           brown lentils
1              lb               onions, diced
1              cup             olive oil
1/3           cup             short-grain white rice,
                                   rinsed, soaked and drained
1              tsp               cumin
1             Tbs               sea salt
1/2           tsp              black pepper
1/4           tsp              sea salt
2               lbs             onions, sliced thinly
                                   vegetable oil for frying



Procedure

1. Combine lentils, chopped onions, 1/2 cup olive oil and 5 cups water in large pot.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer until lentils are very soft, about 30 minutes.  As lentils cook, skim foam from the surface.
2. Remove from heat and cool.  Puree lentils until smooth, then return to the pot and set aside.  If lentils are too thick, add up to 1 cup of water to obtain the thickness of a creamy soup.
3. Cook rice in 2 cups of water, uncovered, until tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Sprinkle 1/4 tsp salt over onion slices and mix well.  Heat oil over medium hig and saute onions, stirring, until onions are golden, about 5 minutes.  Reduce heat to medium, stir occasionally, and cook until onions are dark brown, about 20 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels to dry.
5. Drain rice, then add lentils.  Add cumin,1 Tbs salt, and pepper.  Add 1/2 cup olive oil, and warm over medium heat uncovered until lentils begin to boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add salt to taste.
6. Serve at room temperature with fried onions on top, and thick Greek yogurt on the side. 

For a variation on this dish, try our Eggplant Rishta Bi.