I am always on the lookout for a new vegetarian recipe. Interestingly almost all of my vegetarian repertoire is ethnically inspired. I guess it is not surprising that in the U.S. with vast amounts of grazing land for cattle and sheep plus lots of chickens and pigs, meat is almost exclusively on the menu.

Mujaddara is a Middle Eastern dish. It is reputed to be the pottage that Esau used to buy Jacob’s birthright in the Bible. (Wikipedia) It seems a humble dish. Our mujaddara is a combination of plain brown lentils and brown rice with caramelized onions and a topping of spiced yogurt and crispy onions. As you can see my crispy onions are a little too crispy but since the spiced yogurt is full of “warm” spices, I like the accidental burnt flavor.

Along with the mujaddara I make a cucumber, poblano chile, tomatoes, green onion, and feta salad. KITCHEN TIP: We are having cucumbers a lot this summer. I find it best to take out the seeds, chop them up, and salt the cucumber pieces for a half and hour before making the salad.

Mujaddara with spiced yogurt and cucumber and tomato salad

The recipe I used as the basis for my dish is https://food52.com/recipes/8565-mujaddara-with-spiced-yogurt