Nosh and Tel Aviv- Majadera

Hello from Tel Aviv! Sorry it has taken me so long to post something new but our internet has been down and I have been helplessly disconnected from the outside world. Today I want to to talk about a delicious dish that I have enjoyed several times since being in Israel, Majadera.

I would describe this dish as a vegetarian’s paradise. It is packed with protein and is very filling. It is usually served in Israel has a side dish, but I could easily see it being a meal all on it’s own. Eat it with some pita or even top it with a poached egg. Like I have said many times before, I think poached eggs taste good atop pretty much everything so take that comment as you will.

I have had a few different type of majadera since I’ve been here. My favorite is when the lentils are still a little hard so that the dish has more texture. It definitely runs the risk of getting too mushy, so if you make it yourself, be sure not to overcook the lentils.

Aside from differing textures, Majadera can not only be spelled many ways, there are also many different ingredients to use as well. Some recipes call for rice, others for bulgar or couscous. The range of spices suggested are also pretty vast. You can leave the dish relatively plain, or you can add cinnamon (thanks lyndsie), cumin, harissa- the list is pretty endless. A teacher we have at school who makes it sometimes uses flavored olive oils. I would suggest one flavored with some garlic or something a little spicy.

Majadera

1 cup brown lentils

1 cup bulgar

olive oil for frying

*2-3 medium onions, chopped

1 tbs ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

*Jana Gur, author of The Book of New Israeli Food, suggests also slicing two extra onions into thin rings and frying them up really crispy to top the dish. I love fried onions so I would also suggest doing this.

To prepare, cook lentils in water until the soften, about 30 minutes. Remember you don’t want the lentils to get too soft and mushy, so be sure to check them before the 30 minutes are over. Drain and set aside. Prepare the bulgar as it says on the package ie. toast the grains, then add water, take off the heat and let the water absorb into the bulgar. Then set aside.

In a frying pan, saute the chopped onions. The entails being very patient. Saute on medium heat until the are golden brown. Add the lentils and bulgar to the frying pan if it’s large enough. Mix everything together and add some olive oil to make sure it’s not too dry. At this point, add in your spices. and done!

Serve the majadera hot or cold. As I said before, it works great as a side dish or as a main meal. Get creative with this one. Everyone will love it. Even I love it and I usually don’t touch lentils with a ten foot pole.

Something I have been learning about Israeli food more and more is that there really isn’t a set rule for what Israeli food actually is. Since Israel is such a new country, it has become a melting pot for food. Foods that I have learned to be “traditional” and eaten all the time, have a lot of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influence. Majadera is a perfect example of that. As is falafel, shawarma and even shakshuka.

Hope you all are enjoying the blog posts! Let me know if there is any food in particular that you’d like to learn about and I will do some research!

Bon Eating,

Ariel