Mujadrah

Ann--great idea about the lentils challenge. This was the first dish that really made me love lentils (even though I can't pronounce the name). It's not a very pretty dish, but it's delicious and simple and it makes for a very comforting meal. You can find recipes online that add various spices, but I like it with just salt and pepper.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 cups water

1 cup lentils, rinsed and picked through

1 cup brown rice

Heat oil in dutch oven or in sauce pan with lid. Add onions and cook until they are deeply caramelized, about 20-25 minutes. They should be a rich amber color, but be sure not to burn them. When the onions are ready, add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water and deglaze pan, scraping up brown bits. Add lentils and bring to a boil. Cover pan and cook for 15 minutes. Add rice and stir to combine, then recover and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until rice is done (some brown rice, as you well know, takes forever to cook, so the time might be much longer than 30 minutes). Mix thoroughly, cover and turn heat off. Let sit until thickened and slightly cooled. There should be no liquid left in pan. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve in bowls. Yummy!