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Home Bean and Lentil Recipes

Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil and Rice (Mejadra)

By:Nagi
Published:23 Jan '17Updated:9 Aug '20
130 Comments
Recipe v Dozer v

Mejadra is a fragrant Middle Eastern rice pilaf that is SO GOOD you can – and will want to – eat it on its own!

Mejadra - A aromatic Middle Eastern Rice and Lentil Pilaf. A recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

Mejadra is an ancient dish that is hugely popular throughout the Arab world. It’s a fragrant aromatic spiced rice (but not spicy) combined with sweet crunchy onion. You make your own fried onion in the authentic version, and it’s worth the effort when you have time on your hands. But if you don’t have time, a near perfect substitute is store bought crunchy Fried Shallots which nowadays you can purchase from the Asian section of most grocery stores. I really think it tastes almost as good!

Mejadra - A aromatic Middle Eastern Rice and Lentil Pilaf. A recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

Because this rice has such a wonderful flavour in itself, you can make a complete meal by serving just a simple piece of grilled fish or other protein, or even vegetables on the side. A dollop of yoghurt, a sprinkle of herbs and dinner is served!

Enjoy! – Nagi x

PS I served Mejadra on the side of Chicken Shawarma which I also published today. A beautiful pairing of flavours!

The flavour of this Chicken Shawarma marinade is absolutely incredible, yet made with just a handful of everyday spices. recipetineats.com

Mejadra - A aromatic Middle Eastern Rice and Lentil Pilaf. A recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

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Mejadra - A aromatic Middle Eastern Rice and Lentil Pilaf. A recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi. recipetineats.com

Middle Eastern Rice (Mejadra)

Author: Nagi
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 20 mins
Pilaf, Rice
Arabic, Middle Eastern
4.92 from 34 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Mejadra is a fragrant Middle Eastern rice pilaf with crunchy fried onion throughout it. This is slightly adapted from a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, from his wonderful cookbook Jerusalem. The main difference is that he uses dried lentils, I use canned. If you don't have time or don't want to deep fry, substitute the fried onions with Asian fried shallots, available from Asian stores and the Asian section of major supermarkets in Australia (Coles, Woolies). The taste is remarkably similar!

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds (or 1 tsp ground cumin)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds (or 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander)
  • 1 cup basmati or long grain rice , uncooked
  • 1 1/4 cup / 315 ml water (see notes)
  • 400g / 14 oz canned brown lentils, drained (1 can) , drained
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Black pepper

Crispy Fried Onions (Note 2)

  • 3 large or 4 small onions , very finely sliced
  • 1 cup / 250 ml vegetable or sunflower oil
  • Salt

Instructions

Crispy Onions

  • Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add about 1/3 of the onions and cook for 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels.
  • Repeat with remaining onions, in two batches.

Rice

  • Put the olive oil, cumin seeds and coriander in a saucepan over medium heat.
  • Cook for a couple of minutes until the spices are fragrant.
  • Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and spices.
  • Add the water and lentils.
  • While it comes to boil, add all the other spices, salt and pepper.
  • When it comes to a boil, turn it down to medium-low, cover with lid and let cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until all the liquid has mostly been absorbed.
  • Remove from heat and let it rest for 10 minutes - during this time, any residual liquid will absorb.
  • Fluff rice with a from and adjust the seasoning with more salt if you wish.
  • Just prior to serving, stir through most of the onions and top with remainder. Sprinkle with chopped coriander if desired. Best served warm.

Recipe Notes:

1. Different rices and brands require different ratios of rice to water. Typically for long grain and basmati rice it is 1 cup of rice to 1 1/2 cups of water, but you should check the package instructions. Whatever the water quantity is, reduce it by 1/4 cup. This is because this recipe uses canned lentils which, although you drain it, adds to the liquid while cooking. If you do not reduce the quantity of water, the rice turns out wetter than it should.
2. ALTERNATIVE: Use fried shallots / onions sold in jars in the Asian section of the supermarket. They are crunchy, salty and oily, so they serve the same purpose and taste the same. This is what I usually use. They are addictive!
3. WHOLE VS GROUND SPICES: The Yotam recipe uses cumin and coriander seeds which soften when cooked, but the coriander is still a little bit firm (but soft firm). This added texture is the way the recipe is intended to be BUT if you prefer not to have the seeds in it, feel free to use ground, I've provided the quantities in the recipe. 🙂
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally published May 2014, republished with fresh new photos in January 2017.


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130 Comments

  1. Tracie says

    November 18, 2020 at 8:20 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! All went to plan. Onions took longer for me but wasn’t an issue. Served the meat eaters your chicken Shwarma (which I have made before and is a family hit!) and then Vegos loved this on its own. Thanks again Nagi. Xx

    Reply
  2. Audlynd says

    November 12, 2020 at 9:26 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe! Very easy to make and tons of flavour.. My basmati rice was 2:1 water to rice ratio but I followed the recipe and used 1 1/4 cups water, I ended up having to add water during cooking but it worked out ok anyway. The onions took longer than indicated, but turned out great and I’m glad I didn’t cave and buy store bought ones. Will make again, served with your chicken shawarma and also the middle eastern chick peas and salad. Awesome meal!

    Reply
  3. Catherine says

    November 4, 2020 at 7:30 pm

    5 stars
    Cooked this tonight for the first time- absolutely delicious, thank you Nagi!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 5, 2020 at 9:50 am

      You’re so welcome Catherine, I’m so glad you loved it! N x

      Reply
  4. Emma says

    September 25, 2020 at 3:21 pm

    Hi Nagi, is this dish ok to make a couple of hours in advance so I can cook before my guests arrive?

    Reply
    • Tracie says

      November 18, 2020 at 8:21 pm

      Emma after making it I would say yes. 😊

      Reply
  5. Gordon Tansey says

    August 20, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    4 stars
    Good flavour, even my daughter who doesn’t like lentils couldn’t help herself. Only issue was the rice ended up a little dry afterwards – apart from adding more water or stopping the cooking process earlier, any tips or suggestions I could do to keep it moister after it’s cooked and sat out for 15 minutes?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 21, 2020 at 10:50 am

      Hi Gordon, try turning the heat down a little bit, it should stop it from drying out too much 🙂 N x

      Reply
      • Gordon Tansey says

        August 21, 2020 at 11:04 am

        Thanks Nagi – will do. Have loved many of your recipes – very simple and taste wonderful (even for a relatively nervous novice like me)

        Reply
    • Lily says

      December 18, 2020 at 9:27 am

      I am Palestinian and we usually eat it with 2 sides in our home, natural yogurt, and a tomato and onion, fine diced, salad seasoned with lemon and olive oil. Both make it very moist to eat. Frying your own onions is highly recommended as it is also more moist than the dried ones from the store.

      Reply
      • Gordon says

        December 18, 2020 at 4:30 pm

        Lily- thanks for the tips, they sound exactly what I’d need to have. Cheers

        Reply
  6. Lesley says

    August 16, 2020 at 3:14 pm

    5 stars
    This was great!! I’ve tried other Mejadra recipes and was very disappointed. But I’ve finally found The One! This is going in my favorites. Thank you!

    Reply
  7. Leah Abeat says

    July 20, 2020 at 8:21 pm

    Just made this with your doner kebab chicken, served as a kebab plate. OMG…so much better than the other one i used to make. I’m in love. I did it in the instant pot and took 5 mins. Did 1.25 cups of rice and 1.25 cups water…….it was perfect. My hubby put it on Lebanese bread with everything too. We all loved if. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 21, 2020 at 6:55 am

      That’s awesome Leah – thanks so much for the great feedback! N x

      Reply
  8. Dee says

    July 12, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    5 stars
    I’m of Assyrian background so grew up regularly eating this dish. This was probably the best mejadara I’ve ever had and I’m so proud I made it! Thank you for such an easy and delicious recipe!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 13, 2020 at 2:47 pm

      Woah what a great compliment Dee, that’s so good to hear!!! N x

      Reply
  9. Anja says

    July 4, 2020 at 8:59 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! Adds to my growing vegan recipes for my vegan step kids. Reminds me of a similar dish I had in Egypt. Added to my little blue recipe book for those I will use regularly.

    Reply
  10. Sana says

    July 3, 2020 at 3:24 am

    What are dried or canned lentils, if you can name the lentils as I have a few at home so I could may be used that 🙂 Please let me know the names of the lentils used

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 3, 2020 at 5:15 pm

      Hi Sana, you can use lentils from a can or the dried variety. I use brown lentils here. N x

      Reply
  11. Charlie says

    May 14, 2020 at 10:10 am

    Love your recipes! ❤️ Question, please: as I don’t like the environmental impact, I never use canned food. If I used dried lentils, how soft would I need to cook them first, please? FYI, dried beans etc are also cheaper and take up less space. 🙂

    Reply
    • Mia says

      June 18, 2020 at 3:39 pm

      Same question, really eager to try this recipe but I have a bag of dried lentils I’d love to use.

      Reply
    • Lily says

      December 18, 2020 at 9:36 am

      This traditionally is cooked with brown lentils. I boil them until they are edible but still crunchy so they can finish softening when cooked with the rice. Time depends on lentils really.

      Reply
  12. Mandy says

    May 1, 2020 at 5:58 am

    5 stars
    Oh Nagi, your recipes never cease to amaze me (and my guests) I made this rice dish as part of my middle eastern night and it was a hit!
    I ‘fried’ the onions in the microwave (watched it like a hawk though). This is definitely one that I will make regularly! Thank you~ Mx

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 1, 2020 at 9:33 am

      Wahoo, that’s great to hear Mandy! N x

      Reply
  13. Laura Bickford says

    November 21, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    5 stars
    Nagi…where do I even start?! This is my first comment ever on a recipe, and I just have to say that first of all, you are my favorite food person. Second of all, this recipe is my favorite thing that comes out of my kitchen. We have been eating it with your shawarma recipe. YUM! I have been making this in the instant pot – I saute the spices on the saute mode, then pressure xook for 3 mins. Perfect every time! Also, please judge me – I don’t know anything about fried onions so I have been using, um, French’s fried onions. Am I the worst?? They’re delicious with it.

    Anyway, all that to say, thank you for so many delicious recipes! This, shawarma, and your Greek Chicken are permanent fixtures in our house!!

    Xoxo
    Laura

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 22, 2019 at 6:02 pm

      Oh thanks so so so much Laura!!!

      Reply
    • Charlie says

      May 14, 2020 at 10:12 am

      Thanks so much for the InstantPot comment. I was worried it would be too wet. Yay.

      Reply
    • Leah Abeat says

      July 19, 2020 at 10:38 am

      Thanks for this instant pot version. I was wondering how to do it as I am addicted to my instant pot.

      Reply
  14. AnnMarie says

    October 31, 2019 at 11:04 am

    5 stars
    LOVE! Couldn’t find canned lentils, so made your Sexy Lentils – and added to the cooked rice.

    Every time I make one of your recipes – I think.. OMG – I made this? Then.. OMG… I MADE THIS!

    Thank you thank you thank you!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 31, 2019 at 11:38 am

      That’s great AnnMarie!

      Reply
  15. Michele says

    October 24, 2019 at 7:58 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely brilliant! I added one medium carrot, grated to boost vegetable intake. Served it with lamb koftas. This will be a weekly favourite 😍

    Reply
  16. Minna Lederberger says

    September 18, 2019 at 11:37 am

    I want to use raw lentils. How to I change the cook time?

    Reply
  17. Luigi says

    September 8, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    Cooks illustrated had mejadra recipe a little while back and had a neat hack for the onions- mix the sliced onions with a couple of teaspoon of salt, microwave covered for 5 mins, rinse, drain, let dry on paper towels and then fry the whole lot at once. The salting helps remove moisture from the onions and they cook faster.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 9, 2019 at 12:56 pm

      I’ll have to give it a go!

      Reply
  18. Becca says

    September 5, 2019 at 5:01 am

    I am marinating chicken now for your shawarma recipe and I’m planning on making this mejadra recipe!! However, I can not find canned lentils at any of our supermarkets. I purchased dried brown lentils and just cooked them in my instant pot. Do I need to drain them from the liquid leftover or rinse before use? Looking forward to this delicious meal!! Thank you for sharing your passion!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      September 5, 2019 at 7:30 am

      Hi Becca, I’d drain and rinse them before using – N x

      Reply
      • BECCA says

        September 6, 2019 at 1:13 am

        That was my instinct! Thank you!!! Can’t WAIT to make this tonight!! OH one more question…I have crispy onion topping that are in a can. Which are usually used for green bean casserole…think this would be an okay substitute??

        Reply
  19. Hans says

    August 28, 2019 at 7:26 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes. Some of these have become our staples. The Mejadra is wonderful, easy to make and just perfect for when you feel like eating, but not want to spend to much time in the kitchen.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 29, 2019 at 6:30 pm

      That’s great to hear Hans, thank you!

      Reply
  20. Elena says

    July 29, 2019 at 12:51 pm

    This rice was so tasty! And not to mention super easy. I used asian fried shallots to cut down on time. SO yummy, going to make double quantity next time! I also made this rice with the chicken shawarma (also so easy and yummy), yogurt sauce (a must have!), hummus and chopped vegetables. Such an amazing feast. Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • natalee Sanford says

      August 16, 2020 at 11:29 pm

      Hi
      Would this be OK to cook without lentils, my youngest doesn’t like them.
      Love your recipes, spaghetti bolagnsise is the best I’ve made, thankyou

      Reply
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Hi, I'm Nagi!

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