Mujaddara is the Arabic word for “pockmarked”; the lentils among the rice resemble pockmarks.
The first recorded recipe for mujaddara appears in a cookbook from 1226 A.D. titled “Kitab al Tabikh” meaning “The Book of Dishes (Chovanec).” The dish originated with the need to provide maximum nutrition with the least amount of money. Therefore, it was popular among the lower classes of the Middle Eastern countries.
The country of origin is unknown, but it is universally popular in the Eastern Mediterranean region, and some South African countries like Egypt. The popularity of the dish has led to a variety of names in different countries of the Middle East. For example, it is known as Mujaddara in Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine, while in Syria and Egypt it is known as Mudardara. These names also come with many regional spellings like Mejadara, Moujadara, and Megadarra.
Without meat, it was a medieval Arab dish commonly consumed by the poor, reputed to be a derivative of the “mess of pottage” Jacob used to buy Esau’s birthright. Because of its importance in the diet, a saying in the Eastern Arab world is, “A hungry man would be willing to sell his soul for a dish of mujaddara.”
To make mujaddara, you’ll need onions, lentils, rice, water, neutral oil, flour, salt, and a bunch of spices (coriander, cumin, turmeric, and allspice).
We suggest serving this recipe with minted yogurt and to make that you’ll need Greek yogurt, mint, cucumbers, lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, salt, and pepper.