Jordanian Mujaddara Bulgur
Brown lentils and coarse bulgur cooked in retained liquid with measured onion oil.
Preparation: 30 min · Cooking: 50 min · Total: 1 hr 30 min · 2 servings
Ingredients
- 100 g DRY coarse bulgur
- 100 g DRY whole brown lentils
- 200 g Trimmed yellow onion
- 60 ml Olive oil TOTAL for onions and recovered allocations
- 0.5 tsp Ground cumin
- 400 ml Initial cooking water, RETAINED
- 500 ml Lentil rinse water, discarded
- 500 ml Separate bulgur rinse water, discarded
- 100 ml Optional hot cooking-water reserve, maximum (optional)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Prepare and rinse separately
Wash and thinly slice 200 g trimmed onion. Rinse 100 g DRY brown lentils with their separate 500 ml water allowance. Rinse 100 g DRY coarse bulgur with its separate 500 ml allowance. Drain both; discard ONLY these rinse waters. Follow stricter grain-label directions.
Wash and thinly slice 200 g trimmed onion. Rinse 100 g DRY brown lentils with their separate 500 ml water allowance. Rinse 100 g DRY coarse bulgur with its separate 500 ml allowance. Drain both; discard ONLY these rinse waters. Follow stricter grain-label directions.
Brown onions in all measured oil
Heat all 60 ml olive oil over medium heat and cook sliced onion, checking from 15 minutes until deep gold and crisp without blackening. Continue as needed, not to a mandatory burnt colour.
Heat all 60 ml olive oil over medium heat and cook sliced onion, checking from 15 minutes until deep gold and crisp without blackening. Continue as needed, not to a mandatory burnt colour.
Brown onions in all measured oil: 900 seconds
Split actual recovered oil
Lift/drain onions and collect ACTUAL recovered onion oil. Divide that recovered amount in half: one half for the grain pot, one for final topping with all cooked onions. Do not claim 30 ml per half because onions retain oil; no second oil pool is added.
Lift/drain onions and collect ACTUAL recovered onion oil. Divide that recovered amount in half: one half for the grain pot, one for final topping with all cooked onions. Do not claim 30 ml per half because onions retain oil; no second oil pool is added.
Part-cook lentils and retain liquid
Bring lentils and 400 ml initial cooking water to a boil then simmer low, checking from 15 minutes until partially tender. RETAIN this cooking liquid for bulgur; the conflicting source-table discard command is not used. Do not confuse discarded rinse water with this cooking water.
Bring lentils and 400 ml initial cooking water to a boil then simmer low, checking from 15 minutes until partially tender. RETAIN this cooking liquid for bulgur; the conflicting source-table discard command is not used. Do not confuse discarded rinse water with this cooking water.
Part-cook lentils and retain liquid: 900 seconds
Cook both grains completely
Add drained coarse bulgur, 0.5 tsp cumin, salt, pepper and the grain half of ACTUAL recovered oil to lentils/retained liquid. Bring to a boil, cover with a fitted lid and simmer low, checking from 20 minutes until bulgur AND lentils are completely tender. Record optional hot reserve up to 100 ml if needed; remove the competing 1 cm liquid-depth rule.
Add drained coarse bulgur, 0.5 tsp cumin, salt, pepper and the grain half of ACTUAL recovered oil to lentils/retained liquid. Bring to a boil, cover with a fitted lid and simmer low, checking from 20 minutes until bulgur AND lentils are completely tender. Record optional hot reserve up to 100 ml if needed; remove the competing 1 cm liquid-depth rule.
Cook both grains completely: 1200 seconds
Rest off heat
When fully tender, remove from heat and rest under the fitted lid for 10 minutes. Do not scale into a fourfold-deep pot or multiply the resting time; use comparable-depth batches.
When fully tender, remove from heat and rest under the fitted lid for 10 minutes. Do not scale into a fourfold-deep pot or multiply the resting time; use comparable-depth batches.
Rest off heat: 600 seconds
Fluff and add the complete topping
Fluff gently with a fork without mashing lentils. Add all cooked onions and the remaining half of actual recovered oil. Divide into 2 catalogue shares; all 60 ml initial oil was one measured input, not a 60 ml input plus extra garnish oil.
Fluff gently with a fork without mashing lentils. Add all cooked onions and the remaining half of actual recovered oil. Divide into 2 catalogue shares; all 60 ml initial oil was one measured input, not a 60 ml input plus extra garnish oil.
Chill promptly and reheat once
Chill shallow portions promptly, ideally into the fridge within 1 hour at 4°C or colder. Selected grain-dish limit: use within 24 hours and reheat once to 74°C. This conservative project choice is not a claim that rice-specific official rules govern all wheat dishes.
Chill shallow portions promptly, ideally into the fridge within 1 hour at 4°C or colder. Selected grain-dish limit: use within 24 hours and reheat once to 74°C. This conservative project choice is not a claim that rice-specific official rules govern all wheat dishes.
Tips
- Ingredient amounts scale for 1–8 catalogue servings; step quantities describe the base of 2 shares. Halve every numeric input for 1, multiply by four for 8, including process waters, garnish and operating allowances. Time, temperature, thickness and pan depth do not multiply: use matching-depth pans/small batches. Piece yields are separate from shares. Cup = 240 ml, tbsp = 15 ml, tsp = 5 ml. Record bounded optional water/oil adjustments; reconcile if inadequate.
Common mistakes
- Keep perishables at 4°C or colder and raw meat/fish/flour tools separate from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate shallow portions promptly within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C; do not wait for complete counter cooling. These are refrigeration deadlines, not a guaranteed time for any deep pot to reach 4°C.
Substitutions
- Keep specified raw/cooked/prepared states and measured components. Check actual product labels/allergens and stricter directions; reconcile incompatible products instead of silently replacing them.
Storage
Chill shallow portions promptly, ideally refrigerating within 1 hour at 4°C or colder. Use within 24 hours and reheat once to 74°C throughout. Earlier component deadlines still apply; assembly does not reset them. Keep perishables at 4°C or colder and raw meat/fish/flour tools separate from ready-to-eat food. Refrigerate shallow portions promptly within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C; do not wait for complete counter cooling. These are refrigeration deadlines, not a guaranteed time for any deep pot to reach 4°C.
Reheating
Reheat cooked leftovers only once to 74°C throughout. Do not repeatedly warm/chill dips or cream-filled pastries, or try to repair earlier unsafe holding by reheating.
About this recipe
Brown lentils and coarse bulgur cooked in retained liquid with measured onion oil.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.