Mujadara Recipe

Many years ago, during my post-army trip to India back in 2001, I decided to become a vegan.

It didn’t happen overnight; it was a long conscious process that I don't remember much of (it’s been 17 years, after all, go figure).

But I do remember wanting to set my ego aside and focus on something positive that would benefit the world—something I could implement right here and now.

Filled with love and sensitivity toward animals, I realized that veganism was the answer for me.

Very quickly, I removed meat, dairy products, and eggs from my menu and became a full-fledged vegan. Simple, right?

Veganism in Israel at the Turn of the Millennium

I don't know what you remember from 2001 (maybe you weren't even born yet) or what food products were on the shelves, but I can tell you that almost no one in Israel had heard of veganism.

You couldn't buy soy milk in the supermarket, nor tofu, and definitely not seitan.

There was no Facebook back then, so you couldn't ask for recipes or consult about nutritional values.

I felt like a lonely person in the desert, and everyone pretty much looked at me and treated me like a delusional hippie who hadn't "landed" yet from India (it was trendy to be a hippie then, what did you think?)

I remember when I asked my mother what I should eat to provide my body with plant-based protein, she simply answered: "I have a Mujadara recipe."

And so it was that during those years, I cooked a lot of Mujadara in all sorts of peeling kitchens in cheap rented apartments across South Tel Aviv.

I lasted as a vegan for almost a year and went back to eating animal products in late summer 2002 (only to return to the vegan fold with a vengeance several years later in 2011).

Is Mujadara Nutritious?

As someone who prepared countless Mujadara dishes in his youth, and in memory of my days of innocence, I'm attaching an epic Mujadara recipe. Also, Noam Bechar, nutritionist and fitness instructor, analyzed the nutritional values of the recipe:

"A classic and healthy dish containing a combination of several amino acids from a variety of plant sources, healthy fatty acids, and a high amount of dietary fiber which contributes to a long-lasting sense of satiety."

One serving of Mujadara (around 100 g):

290 kcal, 23 g carbohydrates, 7.2 g protein, 17 g fat (of which 2.5 g is saturated fat), 2 mg iron, 6.5 g dietary fiber.

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Mujadara Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 3 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup Green/brown lentils soaked in plenty of water for at least 4 hours
• 1 cup Brown rice basmati or short-grain
• 1 Onion medium size
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 3 Garlic cloves, crushed

Instructions

1. Drain the water from the lentils, transfer to a deep pot, pour in 2 cups of fresh water and cook on high heat for about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
   
2. Dice the onion and sauté in a deep pot with the olive oil for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the turmeric, cumin, and crushed garlic and continue to sauté on low heat for a few more minutes. (Careful not to burn the garlic).
3. Add the rice, stir, and sauté for another minute or two.
   
4. Add the lentils to the pot with the rice and mix well.
5. Pour in 2 and a half cups of water, cover the pot, and bring to a boil.
6. Lower the heat and continue to cook for about 25 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let the pot rest with the lid on for at least 5 minutes before serving (it worked hard!).