Lebanese-Inspired Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions

Not really what you’d expect from this Chef living in Italy at the moment?

I hope you’ll love this surprise.

When I had the idyllic experience of my own winter apartment in Paris 2022-2023, I became passionate about lentils. I had the pure joy and privilege of slow-cooking them with Toulouse sausage and other varieties that my favorite boucherie offered, just down the street.

Now in Italy, I am very passionate about pasta lenticchie, a dish that my father loved. I think I’ve done well to create my own recipe and have prepared it over and again here in Italy; it’s especially delicious with my favorite Cagli butcher’s sausage, just down the street :).

Just now I wanted a meatless dish and since I’ve started keeping cooked lentils in the fridge (I prefer Le Puy or green lentils; find good info for how to cook lentils here), all I needed to do was whip up some cumin-scented rice, and crisp up some onions. This incredibly yummy dish is inspired by Lebanese Mujadara, something that I imagined would be beyond my scope to ever prepare and, I was wrong.

If I can make it in a flash, so can you. There are only a few ingredients, it’s especially pleasing to vegetarians and vegans, and personally for me, it makes for a nice little break from pasta.

There is so much to love about this plate. Let’s get started!

Lebanese-Style Rice and Lentils with Crispy Onions, for 2

1 cup cooked lentils, with some (of their own) liquid

2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, very thinly sliced - a bit for rice, most for crisping

2 tsp ground cumin

1 large clove garlic, minced

Pinch of sea salt

1 cup basmati rice

2 cups vegetable broth (may use any broth, or water)

Flour for coating onion rings

1/3 cup sunflower or vegetable oil

Place cooked lentils in small pot and warm on stovetop; keep warm while rice and onions are prepared.

In medium saucepan over medium-low flame, heat olive oil. Add a few slices of onion and cook until just soft, add cumin, garlic, and salt; cook another minute. Add rice and heat through, coating well with the seasonings, then add broth. Stir well. Increase flame and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until most or all liquid is absorbed and rice is soft.

While rice cooks, heat sunflower oil over medium-high heat in large skillet. In a large bowl, place thinly sliced onion pieces and dust with flour. Shake excess flour from onions and place in hot oil but do not crowd in pan. Cook for several minutes until rings are crisped and browned. Remove with slotted spoon, and continue cooking remainder of onion pieces.

Prepare final dish by gently combining rice and lentils, with some of the remaining oil from onions if desired. Place in serving bowls, or on a platter, topping to serve with crisped onions. Serve immediately.