MUJADDARA - LENTILS, RICE AND CARAMELISED ONIONS.

If you have never made Mujaddara then do yourself a favour and make up a big batch of this simple, healthy AND delicious dish! It's basically lentils and rice cooked up together with sweet caramelised onions. It is one of those meals you will want to double and eat for dinner and then for lunch the next day as not only is it a moorish meal Mujaddara just gets better with age. Plus its like eating a big warm cuddle, so of course you will want to go back for more!
The last time I cooked this I added a few extra bits of love- roasted capsicums and green beans. Clementine loved it, lets hope she remembers to love it tomorrow because I have been craving a big bowl of warm cuddles.

It is usually served with a spiced yogurt. I just usually serve it with plain Greek yogurt as that's the way Clémentine likes it.

MUJADDARA - Lentils, Rice and Caramelised Onions with Roasted Capsicum and Green Beans.

INGREDIENTS

For the Mujaddara
1 cup French lentils or regular green lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup brown rice, rinsed and drained (use a short or medium grain)
Large handful of green beans trimmed and halved.

1 red capsicum or o jar of roasted capsicums

3 medium onions, halved and sliced
extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste

You can cook everything separately using a rice cooker and the lentils in a large saucepan of boiling water and the beans in another pot but I just pop them all in the same pot and cook them up together. The lentils will be slightly over cooked as the brown rice has a longer cooking time and you will have to predict when the rice has about 5-10 minutes to go as you pop the green beans on top to steam but I would rather a slightly overlooked lentil and perhaps an undercooked green bean over three extra pots to wash up! So it is best to use a small or medium grain brown rice, if using long grain then you will have to cook them grains separately.

Heat oven to 200deg C and pop the whole capsicum straight on the oven rack.

To cook the grains together, put the rice and lentils in a pot with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes until the rice has cooked.

Check the rice at the 20-25 min mark and quickly place the beans on top to steam.

Cover and cook until the rice is done.

While the rice is cooking heat a couple of glugs of olive oil in a frying pan on medium-low heat and add the onions. 

When the onions start to soften, turn up to medium heat and cook for approximately 15 minutes until they are soft and golden brown. 

The onions are ready when they are are golden with dark crusty bits of caramelised goodness.

Check the capsicum in the oven, it is done when the skin has blistered and blackened.

Using tongs place the capsicum in a plastic bag or a bowl covered with cling film.

Combine rice, lentils, beans and most of the onions in large serving bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes so the flavours can hang out and mingle.

Meanwhile remove the capsicum from its sauna and being careful not to burn yourself as it will be hot- remove the skin and seeds and roughly tear the capsicum into bits.

Scatter the capsicum on top and add the rest of the onions as well.

Season to taste, serve with a generous dollop of yogurt and get ready for your insides to thank you!

Yum.