Mejadra recipe

Mejadra

In partnership with British Heart Foundation

Mejadra is a fragrant pilaf-style dish popular in the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East, made with lentils, spices and fried onions.

See method
  • Serves 4
  • Takes 55 mins
  • 395 calories / serving

Ingredients

  • 125g dried green lentils, rinsed in cold water
  • 200g easy-cook brown rice, rinsed in cold water
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 10g fresh coriander, leaves chopped

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Each serving contains

Energy
1665kJ 395.0kcal
20%
Fat
13g
medium18%
Saturates
1g
low7%
Salt
0.3g
low5%
Sugars
5g
low6%

of the Reference intake

Carbohydrate 62.4gProtein 12.8gFibre 7.1g

Method

  1. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the lentils. Simmer for 25-40 mins, adding the rice after 15 mins, until both are cooked through (the rice should still have some bite to it). Drain well.
  2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onions for 15-20 mins until crisp and golden brown. Remove ½ of the onions from the pan and set aside. Add the spices to the pan with the remaining onions and cook for 2-3 mins until fragrant. Season.
  3. Stir the spiced onions into the drained rice and lentils, cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave to stem for 10 mins. Scatter with the reserved onion and the chopped coriander to serve.
  • Tip: Save time by using a 390g tin of cooked green lentils instead of dried. Cook the rice to pack instructions, then stir them through.

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