Mujaddara

Mujaddara is the comfort food of the Levant, a dish so old it is mentioned in medieval Arabic cookbooks. Lentils and rice simmered together with cumin, then buried under slow-cooked onions that turn sweet and jammy — a meal that costs pennies and tastes like a fortune. In Lebanon it is called the poor man’s dish, but it holds its own on any table.

Sweet caramelized onions over earthy lentils and rice

There is real alchemy in this plain-looking bowl: the earthy, almost nutty lentils and tender rice soak up a broth spiced with cumin, while the onions — cooked long and low until they collapse into mahogany silk — bring the sweetness that makes every bite addictive. A spoonful of yogurt and a sprinkle of fresh mint cut through the richness. It is traditionally served on Fridays in Lebanon, a meatless meal that nobody ever complains about, and the slow-cooked onions are the one step you cannot rush.

Craving more? Explore all Lebanese Kitchen recipes.

Master the rice and you master the dish: How to Cook Perfect Rice Every Time. This dish is built from Middle Eastern pantry staples — explore all 20 in our guide to 20 essential Middle Eastern pantry ingredients.

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