Lebanese Lentils and Rice

Such a weird day today.  My toddler was adamant that he was a crab and crawled all over the house.  If I called him by his name he got mad and said he was a crab.  My 8 month old is rolling all over the place and today discovered that he in fact likes to lick tile...it is the funniest thing to watch...in horror as I realize how dirty my floors actually are!  More dirty now that they have bits of lentils and rice on them now.

Haha I need to take a food photography class big time.  These caramelized onions look like a slimy ball of earthworms.  Trust me, they taste amazing though!

I have many fond memories of eating out with my grandfather.  He was a lover of good food, and had excellent taste.  Meeting up with him for a visit always included a good meal out.  Pretty sure he spent a large part of his fortune on treating people out to meals.  One place we frequented was a Lebanese restaurant.  As a kid I wasn't particularly fond of Lebanese cuisine in general, so I always ordered the most basic thing on their menu.  Lentils and rice.  It was simple but delicious, no weird over the top Mediterranean flavors I was not partial to yet.  

Fast forward to today.  I'm a huge fan of all Mediterranean food!  My grandfather would be shocked that I actually have good taste now : )  I wanted to try and cook these Lentils and Rice I remember eating so much, and was lucky that I had great success with the first recipe I tried out!  I have made this dish many times since I found it!  I usually serve it alongside some roasted veggies, hummus and pita, and sometimes some lamb as well.  It is a filling and cheap dish full of flavor.  Everyone who has eaten it has been a fan, even my toddler!  This is going to be a weekly meal during Lent this year.

Lebanese Lentils and Rice (Mujadara)
adapted from Food Network

1 cup brown or green lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup extra-virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
salt
3/4 cup Basmati Rice
1/2 tsp. cumin
Cayenne Pepper ( 1/2 tsp for Spicy, 1/4 tsp for medium, or 1/8 tsp for mild)
1 cinnamon stick

Place the lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

While the lentils cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow the oil to warm for a minute, then drop in the 1/2 tsp cumin and pepper and stir about a minute.  Add the onions, sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. You'll know they're done both by their deep chestnut color and by the slight crispiness developing on some of the onions.

Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Sprinkle in the other 1/2 tsp ground cumin, cayenne and then add the cinnamon stick; saute about 1 minute.

Add the rice and cook, stirring often until some rice grains start to brown. Add the cooked lentils, 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of table salt*; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. The water should be completely evaporated and rice should be tender. (If there's still too much water in the bottom, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)

Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.

*This seems like a lot of salt, but really it isn't for how much rice and lentils it seasons.