A Family Recipe: Rice and Lentils with Caramelized Onions, "Mujedrah"

This simple, delicious dish is a staple in Syrian-Jewish cooking and when I was growing up it was a regular part of our non-meat meals. I have to admit that I like it a lot more now than when I was a child. It's a comforting meal on a winter night, and refreshing in summer when served with yogurt with cucumbers and mint. And it's very healthy too: the combination of rice and lentils is an excellent source of protein. Lots of caramelized onions add a wonderful flavor. My mother makes Mujedrah with white rice, but I like to use brown; when using white rice you have to cook the lentils alone for 25 minutes and then add the rice.

4 cups water
1 cup brown lentils
1 cup brown rice
1 teas salt
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs vegetable oil
3 medium onions, 1 lb, sliced
yogurt

1. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan and add the rice and lentils and salt. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, until water is absorbed and rice and lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, place the oil, butter and onions in a wide skillet and cook on low heat, stirring often, until the onions have cooked down into a rich golden brown.
3. When the rice and lentils are done, mix most of the onions into them, reserving some for a garnish.
4. Serve with yogurt.

These amounts are all flexible; you may want to have more rice in proportion, or more onions. My mother adds some butter to the finished dish, but I don't find it necessary because I fry the onions in some butter. When eating Mujedrah I like to thoroughly blend the yogurt into it, which adds a tangy flavor to the sweetness of the onions and the nuttiness of the brown rice and lentils.