Onion-Oil Mujadara with Crispy Onions and Lemon-Mint Yogurt

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Lentils and rice cooked in the oil left behind from slowly frying three pounds of onions, so every grain tastes like caramelized onion. Half the onions get stirred into the pot until they dissolve into sweetness; the rest are fried a shade darker for the crackling pile on top. A garlicky lemon-mint yogurt cuts through it all. Restaurant versions of this Levantine classic run around $18 a plate — this makes four generous dinners for a fraction of that.

Ingredients

• 3 large yellow onions (about 2 1/4 lb), halved and sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 3/4 cup olive oil (or a 50/50 mix of olive and neutral oil)
• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 1 cup basmati rice
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth (for the rice stage)

• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (or thick coconut yogurt to keep it vegan)
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 pinch sumac or Aleppo pepper (optional)

• 2 cups diced cucumber and tomato, tossed with olive oil, lemon and salt

Instructions

1. Slice the onions as evenly as you can — 1/8-inch thick, root to tip, so they hold their shape while frying. Toss them with 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a bowl and let them sit 10 minutes; the salt draws out water and speeds up browning.
2. Heat the 3/4 cup oil in a wide 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Squeeze the onions gently to shed excess liquid and add them all at once (they'll come nearly to the rim, then collapse). Cook, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes, adjusting the heat so you hear a steady quiet sizzle and never a hard crackle.
3. After about 20 minutes the onions will be limp and pale gold. Keep going, stirring more often now, for another 15 to 25 minutes until they are deep mahogany brown, greatly reduced, and the oil has gone amber. Total time is 35 to 45 minutes — this is the dish, so don't rush it. Pull the pan off the heat the moment they smell like caramel and molasses; a few seconds too long turns them bitter.
4. With a slotted spoon, lift about one-third of the onions onto a paper-towel-lined plate, spread them out, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. They'll crisp as they cool — that's your topping. Set the remaining onions aside separately. Pour the onion oil through a fine strainer into a heatproof measuring cup; you should have 1/2 to 2/3 cup of deeply flavored oil.
5. While the onions cook, simmer the lentils: put them in a saucepan with 4 cups water and the bay leaf, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 15 to 18 minutes, until the lentils bend easily but still have a firm center (they will finish cooking with the rice). Drain and discard the bay leaf.
6. Rinse the basmati in a bowl of cool water, swishing and draining three times until the water runs nearly clear. Drain well in a sieve.
7. In a heavy 3- to 4-quart pot over medium heat, warm 1/4 cup of the onion oil. Add the cumin, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, and black pepper and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained rice and stir to coat every grain, about 1 minute.
8. Add the drained lentils, the reserved soft caramelized onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 1/2 cups water or broth. Stir once, bring to a boil, then cover tightly, drop the heat to low, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.
9. Turn off the heat, lay a clean kitchen towel across the pot under the lid, and let it steam 10 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork, drizzling in 2 more tablespoons of onion oil as you go. Taste and add salt — it will want a little more than you expect.
10. Whisk the yogurt with the grated garlic, lemon juice, mint, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Thin with a teaspoon of water if you want it spoonable.
11. Mound the mujadara on a platter, pile the crispy onions over the top, and scatter with parsley and sumac. Spoon the yogurt alongside or over each portion and serve with lemon wedges and the cucumber-tomato salad if you're making it.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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