Mdardara (Lebanese Lentils And Rice With Caramelized Onions)

Mdardara Ingredients (5-6 Servings)

1.5 cups green or brown lentils1 cup rice3 tbsp olive oil3 onions (1 chopped, 2 sliced)1 tsp salt1 tsp ground cumin

Step

Rinse the lentils and place in a big pot with 3 cups of water.Bring to a boil and let simmer 15 minutes covered or until the lentils are soft but not entirely cooked.Rinse the rice and place in the lentils pot with the salt.Add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil and let simmer covered 10-15 minutes until the rice is soft. Turn off heat, keep covered and let sit 5 minutes.Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat.Add the chopped onions and cook around 10 minutes until golden.Add to the lentils and rice pot with cumin and mix.Don’t over mix so that the rice does not get mushy. You can taste and adjust the salt at this point.In the same pan, heat the rest of the olive oil and fry the sliced onions around 15 minutes until they get caramelized.Put the heat on high the last few minutes till the onions get crunchy.Serve the caramelized onions on top of the Mdardara with yogurt, cilantro, or tomatoes if desired. Enjoy!