Mujadara

Directions

1. 1
   Rinse the lentils and pick out any stones or foreign objects.
2. 2
   Put in a bowl, add water to cover by 1 inch, and soak for at least 2 hours or up to 6 hours.
3. 3
   Drain the lentils and set aside.
4. 4
   In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat.
5. 5
   Add half the onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent and golden on the edges, about 4 minutes.
6. 6
   Add the lentils, rice, curry powder, 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
7. 7
   Add 3 cups water, increase the heat to high, and bring the liquid to a boil.
8. 8
   Then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cover the pot.
9. 9
   Cook until the rice and lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
10. 10
    At this point, its okay if theres still a tiny bit of bite to the lentils; they will continue to absorb water.
11. 11
    Remove from the heat and let rest with the lid on for 10 to 15 minutes.
12. 12
    While the rice mixture is cooking, caramelize the remaining onions: heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
13. 13
    When hot, add the remaining onions and a pinch of salt.
14. 14
    Cook, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently as you go, until the onions are soft and almost at the brink of burning, 9 to 11 minutes (lower the heat if the browning seems to be progressing more rapidly than the softening).
15. 15
    Set aside.
16. 16
    To serve, fluff the rice mixture with a fork and transfer to a serving platter.
17. 17
    Top with the caramelized onions.
18. 18
    Serve hot or at room temperature.
19. 19
    You can make this up to 2 days ahead.
20. 20
    If desired, reheat in a covered, shallow ovenproof dish in a 350F oven for about 30 minutes.