Mujadara, the answer to Vegetarian Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving feast has the usual turkey, stuffing, cranberry something-or-other and so on. But I also serve at least one vegetarian main course, usually some version of Mujadara, made with either bulgur wheat, kaniwa or brown rice. It’s a simple dish, everyone loves it and I can make it ahead. Over the years I learned it’s best to cook the onions in advance so they get nice and soft and the savory oniony liquid leaches out perfectly to moisten the grains. Here is the recipe - make all the parts ahead, put it together later and reheat to serve:

BROWN RICE MUJADARA

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 5-6 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced

• 1 cup brown rice

• water or stock

• 1 cup lentils

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, optional

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

• salt to taste

Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over low-medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until the onions are soft and brown. Spoon the onions into a container and cover the container. Refrigerate when cool if not serving the dish immediately. Place the rice in a saucepan, cover with 2 cups water or stock, bring to a boil, stir and cover the pan. Turn the heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes or until tender. Spoon the rice into a bowl. While the rice is cooking, place the lentils in a saucepan and cover with water or stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for about 25 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to the rice. Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the cumin, if used and the parsley. Toss the ingredients. Add salt to taste. If serving immediately, stir in the onions with any accumulated juices, mix and serve. If serving at a later time, add the onions and juices, place in an ovenproof casserole and reheat, covered, in a preheated 350F degree oven (about 25 minutes).

Makes 6 servings

Kaniwa Mujadarah

Everyone who knows me knows that Mujadarah is among my favorite things to eat. I serve it for my annual break-the-fast. I serve it anytime I have lots of people over for a celebration, like a birthday or a welcome-to-the-world party for a new grandchild.

I've made Mujadarah using brown rice. I've made it with bulgur wheat. 

Sometimes I add mushrooms (there's a recipe for that in my book, Hip Kosher).

Recently, the good folks at Pereg sent me a bag of Kaniwa. 

What?

Have you heard of kaniwa?

It's similar to quinoa (in fact some call it baby quinoa), but the seeds are much smaller (about the same size as poppy seeds). It is a complete protein, it's gluten-free and high in iron. That is a big big deal when you are looking for nourishing, meat-free recipes.

Unlike quinoa, kaniwa does not have a coating of saponin on the surface, which means it does not have the somewhat bitter, somewhat soapy taste that some find objectionable in quinoa. You don't have to rinse kaniwa (in fact, if you do, these teeny things will fall right through the holes in the strainer!).

I've actually cooked with kaniwa. A while ago I posted a recipe for Kaniwa Salad with Roasted Tomatoes. It's a terrific base for salads. A nice soup filler. You can sweeten it and eat it like cereal, for breakfast.

But me, with my mujadarah love? I made some kaniwa mujadarah! Look how beautiful this is! Perfect dish for a meatless Monday.

Kaniwa Mujadarah

• 3/4 cup lentils
• water or stock
• 3 carrots, diced
• 1 cup kaniwa
• 1-3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 4 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced
• 10 ounces mushrooms, cut up
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley, optional
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
• salt to taste

Place the lentils in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water starts to boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and cook the lentils for about 25 minutes or until they are tender. Drain the lentils and set them aside. While the lentils are cooking, place the carrots in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water starts to boil, lower the heat, cover the pan and cook the carrots for 5-6 minutes or until they are tender. Drain the carrots and set them aside. Place the kaniwa in a saucepan, cover with 1-3/4 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat, cover the pan and cook for about 15-18 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. While the kaniwa is cooking, heat 5 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until beginning to brown. Add the mushrooms and cook an additional 5 minutes or until the onions and mushrooms are soft and brown. Place the lentils, carrots, kaniwa and most of the onion-mushroom mixture in a bowl. Stir gently to distribute the ingredients evenly. Stir in the remaining olive oil. Add the parsley and cumin, if desired and toss the ingredients. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Top with the remaining onion-mushroom mixture.

If serving at a later time, cover the pan and reheat in a covered baking dish in a preheated 350 degree oven.

Makes 6-8 servings