The 9×13 Life: Rice and Lentils (Mejadra)

If you’ve already been making this traditional rice and lentil dish, you will never make it in a pot again. And if you never tried it, you will still love it!

Mejadra looks so simple…but it’s so good. It’s a traditional Syrian dish that’s often prepared during the Nine Days because it’s filling (lentils are so nutritious), delicious, and satiating. 

Even though Syrian Jews do eat it year round, it is especially appropriate this time of year as lentils, because they are round, are symbolic of mourning as their round shape represents the “cycles of life.” The same goes with pita bread. 

But this version of the recipe was discovered when Susan Zayat (@hungrymom) walked into Lynne Zafarani’s house. Susan tasted it and said it was the best Mejadra she ever had! 

What was Lynne’s secret? It wasn’t any special spices (there are some more complicated versions with lots of spices). 

Lynne told Susan that it was the simplest Mejadra she ever made. Oven baking the dish simply yielded the perfect texture and blending of flavors.

So…if you’ve always been making Mejadra, try this version now. And if you’ve never made it, you will still love it!

Start by adding the dried lentils to a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Add 1 cup of hot water. 

Then add the rice.

Add the salt and oil…

… and mix everything together.

Now this is our little twist. Traditionally, Mejadra is served topped with lots of crispy fried onions (not the packaged kind…actual onions sautéed in a generous amount of oil). But we know that baking the Mejadra WITH lots of onions (instead of adding them at the end) will bring the flavor of the whole dish up. And, unlike fresh onions, these frozen onion cubes will disintegrate better into the dish and little kids will be less likely to notice the pieces. So we’re adding a whole package of frozen onion cubes. A (14 ounce) can of canned sautéed onions will also work. 

Add the water…then cover and bake.

Once it comes out of the oven, just mix and fluff it up a bit. 

You can add additional salt at this point if you feel you need it, but that’s according to each person’s taste.

Top with sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt or regular yogurt for a healthier option) and enjoy while hot and steamy!