Welcome to the 2013 Edition of Vegan MoFo, where for the month of September, I will endeavor to blog 20 posts highlighting my homeland, Israel, her food, scenery, people and customs, while simultaneously observing Judaism’s most sacred month of holidays. Wee.
Let’s go then.
Mejadara is a Lentil and Rice dish of Persian origin that is popular in Israel and throughout the Middle East. It is something that I serve at home, in one form or another, about once a week because it is easy, tasty, and a super healthy, filling and protein-rich vegan meal. As such, there will undoubtedly be several versions of mejadara during my MoFo month.
In this recipe, found on the Israeli animal rights website Anonymous for Animals, here, sweet red bell peppers are stuffed with lentils and rice and then cooked in a sweet and sour sauce. I have made numerous changes to the original recipe as usual.
One of the hallmarks of Middle Eastern cooking is the abundant use of fresh herbs and spices. In this case, an entire bunch of fresh dill goes into the filling, as well as fragrant cumin, and sweet paprika. Do yourself a favor and use fresh herbs whenever you can. They bear little resemblance to their dried counterparts and they impart amazing nutritional benefits that dried herbs do not. Also, promise me you will freshen your spice cabinet! Throw out anything you have had longer than 6 months and buy the best quality spices you can find and afford. Your cooking will really soar to the next level of excellence!
If you plan to be cooking along with me this month, you will want to pick up for sure: cumin, turmeric, saffron, sweet paprika and smoked paprika, za’atar, garlic powder, sumac, freshly ground black pepper, and cinnamon. If you want to round out your Middle Eastern pantry, I’d also pick up Rose Water and Orange Blossom Water, preserved lemon confit, dried Persian limes, zchug (Yemenite harissa), amba (Iraqi mango pickle)… Oy yum, somebody stop me!
Ingredients
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup uncooked Basmati rice, white or brown
- 1/2 cup uncooked brown lentils
- 1 bunch fresh dill, minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 1/3 cup dried blueberries, cranberries, raisins or currants
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 4 large and symmetrical red bell peppers
- 100 grams tomato paste
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar or silan (date syrup)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 2- 2 1/2 cups water
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in a colander and drain.
- Wash the lentils, picking out any dirt or stones.
- Fry the onions in the oil for a few minutes.
- Add the rice and lentils and stir.
- Add the dill, cumin, tomatoes, dried fruit and about 1 cup of water.
- Cover and cook mixture for 15 minutes adding additional liquid if needed to prevent burning. The lentils won't be entirely cooked. They will cook completely inside the peppers.
- Meanwhile cut the tops off the peppers (reserving them on the side). Scrape out the seeds.
- Stuff the peppers tightly with the lentil-rice mixture to the top.
- Set the filled peppers in a large pot where they fit snugly, propping each other up.
- Replace the lids on the peppers.
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl and pour over the peppers in the pot.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, then cover the pot, turn the heat down to low and cook the peppers over medium-low heat for 60 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the lentils are cooked through.
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