One of the best things about Crasstalk is that not only do we have really incredible user-generated content, we also have something called an “Open Thread” where people just talk. Are you having computer problems? Chances are that DogsofWar will have an answer or can point you to the right place for one. Do you need to look at something pretty? Princess Lala will fix you right up. Do you need a place to share a dirty story after a night out? Everyone will give you appreciative feedback. But one of the main things we like to talk about is food. Recipe Sunday (much like the name indicates) rolls around once a week, but everyday you will see someone talking about something fun they’ve eaten, something great that they are cooking, or maybe just Tacky Tick offering pie to new commenters.
And this recipe came to me courtesy of Aku-Aku in a thread about leftovers. He commented that he had been eating the same thing for lunch for three years. I was blown away by that idea and asked him what the magical lunch was. He told me it was Mujadara – a rice and lentil dish with fruit, nuts, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin. I made a batch and promptly fell in love with it.
And that got me thinking – what have your fellow Crasstalkers inspired you to make or try from a casual comment in an Open Thread?
(I’m enclosing the recipe because it would be crazy not to. Thanks again, Aku-Aku.)
Mujadara
- 1 cup of black or green lentils
- 1 cup of wild rice
- 5 cups of vegetable or low-sodium chicken broth or water
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- Pepper
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 cardamom pod
- 2 teaspoons of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of cayenne
- ½ cup of dried apricots, diced
- ¼ cup of cilantro, diced
Although you can cook the lentils and rice together, both wild rice and lentil cooking times can vary. So, for simplicity’s sake I cooked them separately.
For the wild rice: In a saucepan melt a tablespoon of butter. Saute the rice for a minute – stirring frequently – and then add 3 cups of the broth or water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and cover. Check the rice after 40 minutes. If there is a little liquid let over, uncover the pot and continue cooking on very low heat until the liquid evaporates or you can just drain the liquid.
For the lentils: Pour the lentils in a strainer and run under cold water. Pick out any loose debris. Put the lentils into the saucepan and cover with 2 cups of the broth or water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 35-45 minutes. When the lentils are done, drain off any remaining liquid.
Add the diced onion to a frying pan with the olive oil, cumin, cayenne, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Season with salt and pepper and cook on low heat until the onions are soft and have some color, about 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and cardamom. Mix the rice, lentils and onion mixture together along with the apricot and cilantro.
Serves 4.
(Photos by Launie K.)
