Mujaddara-Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions

I love a recipe where three simple ingredients can turn into something special and delicious. In Mujaddara, caramelized onions give life to the rice and lentils. Up until this dish, I think I've only had lentils in soups, so I'm slowly learning how to incorporate this ultra healthy legume into my diet. The original recipe called for brown rice, which would be a little healthier, but I only had white rice, so I adjusted the recipe accordingly. If you would prefer brown rice, add it to the pan with the lentils. I found this recipe at one of my new favorite blogs: Elly Says Opa. Elly says that you could serve this as a vegetarian main dish, or as a side. We at it for lunch one day, but I think I would prefer it as a side to perhaps chicken or pork, with some veggies or a salad.

Mujaddara

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium yellow onions, cut in half and then into slices

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over

1/2 cup white rice

2 1/2 cups stock (I used veggie) or water or a combo*

Directions

Heat a deep saute pan or medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil. Once hot, add the onions. Cook for two or three minutes over medium heat and then reduce to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a dark golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.

Stir in the lentils and bay leaf and saute for a minute before adding the liquid. Increase heat to bring to a boil, and then cover for 30 minutes. Add rice and 1/3 cup broth and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes or until rice and lentils are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

*Add more liquid as you are cooking the mujaddara, if necessary. I ended up adding about 1/3 of a cup more stock when I added the rice, but this amount may vary depending on your stove.

Recipe Source: adapted from Elly Says Opa