How to cook lentils with rice. Rice with lentils is a must-have superfood in your diet

17.05.2020

Nutrient and tasty dish- Majadra, i.e. just rice with lentils, can be served as independent dish or as a side dish. Cooking is simple and fairly quick.

Majadra's Recipe

For this dish, I measure products not by weight, but by volume. Therefore, I need a mug, glass or bowl.

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain rice
1/2 cup green lentils
2 cups cold water
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp zira (cumin)

How to prepare food

Rinse the rice until "clean water".
Read the cooking times on the lentil packaging carefully. If it says 40-45 minutes, rinse the lentils and soak in cold water for 2 hours. If the cooking time is 20-25 minutes, just rinse well.
Cut the onion into thin strips.
Squeeze the garlic through a press.

The cooking process itself is impossibly simple, although there are different variants and those where rice and lentils are cooked separately and then mixed. But I am a fan of the simple and ingenious and therefore I always choose simplest option without compromising the quality of the dish, of course.

Pour two cups of cold water over the lentils, add salt and place on the stove.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover with a lid and cook for 10-15 minutes.

At this time, heat the vegetable oil in a pan and add the rice.

Fry it until the individual rice starts to turn white, this is about 4-5 minutes.

Add the rice to the lentil pot, cover again and cook for another 15-20 minutes.

Add oil to the empty pan and heat it up.

Add the onion, fry until golden brown, reduce heat and bring almost to readiness.

Add garlic, cumin, turmeric to the onion, mix everything and put it on the rice with lentils.

You can add half the onion at once and half when serving.

Hold the dish under closed lid on minimum heat for another 5-10 minutes.

That's all. Enjoy!

Video - How to cook rice with lentils

Bon Appetit!

Greetings, friends!

Today I want to talk to you about superfoods. If anyone does not know, superfood is an easily digestible food, usually of plant origin, rich in vitamins and minerals that give energy to our body and, accordingly, helps in the fight against excess weight.

As a vegetarian, I try to incorporate this superfood into my diet every day. It's not even that I'm trying. The body itself begs for her. And I, as already said, listen to my body and try not to contradict it.

Let's give some examples of superfoods

Among superfoods, you can find both overseas, little-known to us, products, and those that we eat every day, without even knowing about their powerful nutritional composition. One way or another, try to focus on these products and you yourself will appreciate their effectiveness:

Beans. Rich in proteins, iron, dietary fiber. Promotes better digestion and lowers cholesterol. Of all types of beans, prefer the black variety.

Lentils... One of the richest sources of iron, as well as protein, calcium and dietary fiber, which can help keep you feeling full for longer.

Quinoa... Another superfood that gives you extraordinary energy thanks to its high content of iron and magnesium.

Whole grain flour... One of the best helpers in the fight against obesity. Products on whole grain flour help burn calories more efficiently.

Cocoa... A well-known source of energy. Add 1 tbsp. cocoa powder in your breakfast and feel energized. But here it is important to choose natural unprocessed cocoa powder.

Brown (unpolished) rice... Promotes the conversion of food nutrients into energy.

Greek yogurt... Contains twice as much protein as regular yogurt.

Oatmeal... Energizes and improves metabolic processes.

Chia seeds... One of the most powerful "energy drinks" - an explosive mixture of antioxidants, proteins, iron, plant fibers, Omega-3 fatty acids and much more.

By the way, I recently read that hemp seeds are also superfoods. And they can be safely added to soups and salads, since they do not practically contain psychoactive substances.

Well, okay, we'll cook hemp porridge sometime next time. And today we have funky rice with lentils traditional recipe from the island of Cyprus.

Mutzendra, mukendra or mujadara

In Cyprus, this recipe is called Mutzendra (we also say "mukendra") and it came there from the Middle East, where it is prepared in a slightly different interpretation and is called Mujadara. Previously, this dish was considered the food of the poor, because it is prepared from the most affordable and cheapest products. Today, rice with lentils is called superfood and is served even in the most pretentious restaurants. In Cyprus, it is served as a side dish, accompanied by Greek yogurt, or as a main course during fasting.

Although I never combine iron-containing foods with dairy, as they interfere with the absorption of iron by the body.

This is the perfect superfood for me. before workout, charging with the necessary energy for several hours. I like that there is a minimal composition of products, a lot of lentils and rice, but thanks to the "right" seasonings, the dish turns out to be incredibly tasty.

Plus, it's optimal. option for post: being lean dish, rice with lentils has a very high nutritional value and is a rich source of protein that rivals even meat.

Grocery list:

lentils, brown - 250 gr.
bay leaf - 1 pc.
olive oil- 50 ml (¼ tbsp.)
onions - 2 pcs.
rice, long grain - 250 gr.
mint leaves, chopped - 4 tablespoons fresh or 1 tbsp. l dried
salt, pepper - to taste
lemon juice - for serving

Most definitely, the first two violins in this recipe play mint and lemon... Therefore, if you do not have them, then cook rice porridge it makes no sense with lentils.

Preparation:

Rinse the lentils in a colander and pour into a small saucepan. Fill with cold water so that the groats are covered with water by 3-4 fingers.
Put the saucepan over high heat and bring the lentils to a boil. After boiling, drain the water, return the lentils to the pan and pour 1 liter of water or vegetable broth, add the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, half-covering the pan with a lid. At the end of cooking, salt, stir and remove the pan from heat.
While the lentils are cooking, peel the onions and cut them into small cubes. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, put a second (larger) saucepan on the fire and heat the olive oil in it over moderate heat.
Fry the onion for 2-3 minutes until transparent and add the washed rice. Fry for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the rice also becomes transparent.
Then pour the lentils along with the broth into a saucepan with rice, mix gently and cook for another 20-25 minutes under a slightly open lid. After that we do not stir any more. At the end of cooking, all liquid should be absorbed.
Remove rice with lentils from heat, add mint, black pepper and mix thoroughly. Close with a lid and leave to brew for 10-15 minutes. We serve our Mutzendra with lavash, generously pouring lemon juice.

BTW: Vitamin C contained in lemon promotes more efficient absorption of iron contained in lentils.

At the request of ready meal you can serve natural greek yogurt or Greek salad with feta.

We've made such a simple, fast, cheap and healthy superfood from the most affordable ingredients.

On this I will say goodbye. See you soon.

Olga Afinskaya was with you.

Good luck, love and patience.

This dish is popular in both Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is prepared both in the Caucasus and in the Arab countries. Lentils with rice and fried onions acts as an independent dish, but can also be served as a side dish for meat, fish or poultry. We will tell you how to cook such a dish in our article. We will offer a choice of several photos and recipes of lentils with rice with step by step description.

The following secrets will help you make your lentil rice dish really tasty and healthy.

It is recommended to use green lentils when cooking. It has a dense structure, does not boil over, retains its shape, and goes well with long-grain rice. Red lentils do not have an outer shell, so they boil very quickly. It is more suitable for making cream soup or puree.
To make the dish cook faster, it is recommended to pre-soak the lentils for at least 15 minutes, and preferably overnight. Then it will be possible to cook it in 1-1.5 hours.
Spices will help improve the taste of the dish. The main ingredients are curry, paprika, chili and other spices.

Armenian lentil with rice recipe

The dish presented below is popular not only in the South Caucasus, but also in Greece. Traditionally, it is made from green lentils, which do not boil down like red ones, but retain their shape well. The dish has an interesting taste with a spicy twist due to the addition of caraway seeds. Well, the benefits of lentils for the body are beyond doubt. You can serve the dish separately or with meat.

The Armenian recipe for lentils with rice is as follows:

Cooking starts by soaking the legumes. Green lentils (1 tbsp.) Are sorted out, washed and poured with cold water for 30 minutes.
After half an hour, the lentils are poured with clean cold water. The pan is placed over medium heat, brought to a boil, after which the heat is reduced and the porridge is boiled until tender. At the very end, add salt. The finished lentils are discarded in a colander.
Rice (1 tbsp.) Is washed under running water, poured with boiling water (2 tbsp.), Salt and add cumin. The cereal is boiled over low heat until tender.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, spread the onion cut into half rings (2-3 pieces) and fry it until golden brown. When the onion is tender, it is salted, seasoned with pepper and added tomato paste(1 tbsp. L.).
The lentils are mixed with rice, seasoned with olive oil and sprinkled with fried onions on top. The dish is served with finely chopped cilantro or parsley.

Lentils with vegetables and rice

Next dish is a hearty yet light meal that's great for a vegetarian meal or fasting. According to this recipe, lentils with rice are prepared in the following sequence:

Soak basmati rice (250 g) in cold water.
Rinse the lentils, cover with cold water, add 2 cloves of garlic, salt and cook until soft. It shouldn't be overcooked.
Cut potatoes (2 pcs.) Into cubes and deep-fry. Place it on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Dice the onions and carrots and fry directly in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with olive oil (20 ml).
Put the potatoes on top of the vegetable fry, then a layer of lentils. Spread the washed rice on top. Season the dish with salt and pour water over the rice by the thickness of a finger. Cover the pot with a lid and cook the rice and lentils over low heat for 15 minutes. Stir before serving.

How to cook lentils with mushrooms and rice?

The following recipe will help to please your loved ones with an interesting and tasty dish. How to cook rice with lentils, you can learn from the instructions.

Soak a glass of green lentils for 1 hour.
Chop the onion in half rings, cut the carrots into thin cubes, and divide the mushrooms into 4 parts with a knife.
In a cauldron, fry the onions in vegetable oil until translucent. Add carrots, 3 cloves of finely chopped garlic, and after 2 minutes add mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add spices. Add turmeric and cumin (1 tsp each), salt to taste.
Rinse the rice and lentils, pour into the cauldron and smooth evenly.
Pour the contents of the cauldron tomato juice(3 tbsp.). It should be 2 cm higher than rice with lentils. Cook covered for 30 minutes.

Lentils with chicken and rice

The dish prepared according to the following recipe turns out to be hearty, aromatic and tasty. it great option for lunch or dinner. And it's not difficult to cook it.

Rinse lentils (1/2 tbsp.) And cook until half cooked for 15 minutes, then discard in a colander.
In a frying pan in refined oil, fry the chopped cubes chicken breast(500 g). As soon as the surface of the bird is golden brown, add the onion and carrots, cut into strips. Mix.
Add black pepper (1/2 tsp), salt (2 tsp) and cinnamon (1 tsp) to the pan for chicken and vegetables.
Pour in washed rice (2 tbsp.) And fill it with water (4 tbsp.).
Add lentils, having previously discarded them in a colander. Cover the pan with a lid.
According to the recipe, cook lentils with rice until the water boils away and all the ingredients become soft. Serve with finely chopped cilantro.

Multicooker Lentils with Rice Recipe

This recipe contains a harmonious combination of products. Loose rice, delicious lentils, spicy Adyghe cheese- will not refuse such a dish even true gourmet... When cooking in a multicooker, you should adhere to the following step by step instructions:

Select the "Roast" or "Bake" program.
Pour a little into the multicooker bowl vegetable oil and fry on it for 10 minutes coarsely grated carrots, as well as onions and potatoes (2 pcs.), chopped into cubes.
Add the Adyghe cheese, cut into small pieces (150 g). Mix.
Add washed lentils and rice (1 tbsp each).
Pour the contents of the bowl hot water(2.5 tbsp.). Add curry (0.5 tsp), pinch each of asafoetida, salt and pepper. Stir again.
Cook rice with lentils according to the recipe for a multicooker for 50 minutes. Select mode "Pilaf" or "Rice".

Lentil and Onion Rice Recipe is a Middle Eastern dish.

It is called “Mujadara”. Friends, I confess I am with oriental cuisine almost unfamiliar. But this complete dish surprised me. I advise everyone to cook it without fail. As an argument, I will only tell you that my Hungarian conservative, who is my husband, not only ate everything, but appreciated it aloud, and this happens with new dishes quite rarely. Healthy lentils together with rice - it's just something incredibly tasty! My next plan is Cuban, too interesting dish, stock up on black beans for now!

Ingredients:

1 cup lentils
1 cup long rice
550 ml / 3.5 cups - water
3-4 pcs - white onions
1 tsp - cumin / zira
1 tsp - salt
0.5 tsp - ground black pepper
olive oil.

How to cook lentil rice

Peel the onions, cut in half and cut into large half rings.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the chopped onions until they are golden brown.

Set aside half or a third of the fried onions in separate container, and to the rest add washed lentils, salt, black pepper and water to the pan.

After boiling, cover and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes.

The next step is to add the washed rice and cumin.

Stir well and cook for about 20 minutes more.

When serving, put the prepared mixture in a heap and garnish with fried onions and yogurt on top, sprinkle with fresh cilantro or parsley. I personally thought yogurt was superfluous, very tasty and so.

Photo of rice with lentils and onions

Yes, if you submit this rice with lentils without yogurt, then you will get a very tasty dish for a lean table.

0h. 0 min.

Preparation

0 h. 30 min.

Cook

135Kcal / 100 g

Calorie content

Gluten Free, Lactose Free

For this dish with Armenian roots, rice is well suited, which will remain watery and crumbly after cooking. Try Basmati rice or other long grain rice. Green lentils will also remain crumbly due to the preserved bran shell, which makes them a valuable product for those who eat a balanced diet and lead a healthy lifestyle.
One of my favorite dishes is simply melted rice with lentils without meat (Armenian "chal kashovi"). This time I decided to add both chicken and lemon zest with juice. It turned out very tasty, with a pleasant lemon flavor. If you don't like this note, then you can easily do without lemon.