Description
Mujaddarat Bulgur with Cucumber Mint Yogurt is a traditional Middle Eastern dish featuring a hearty blend of brown lentils and coarse bulgur cooked with aromatic spices and caramelized onions. This flavorful and nutritious meal is complemented by a refreshing cucumber mint yogurt sauce, making it perfect for a wholesome lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Mujaddarat Bulgur:
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and cleaned
- 4.5 cups water, divided
- 1 vegetable stock cube (or chicken if not vegetarian)
- 1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons salt, plus a pinch for onions
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 8-10 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
- 1 cup coarse bulgur (#3 or #4), rinsed
For the Cucumber Mint Yogurt:
- 2 cups plain yogurt (dairy or plant-based)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 2 Persian cucumbers, finely diced
- 1/4 cup water (adjust for desired consistency)
Instructions
- Caramelize the Onions: Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt, sautéing them until they become deeply brown and caramelized, which should take around 10 minutes.
- Reserve Onions: Remove half of the caramelized onions from the pot and set them aside on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Cook the Lentils: To the remaining onions in the pot, add rinsed brown lentils and 2.5 cups of water. Stir in the vegetable stock cube, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, ground coriander, turmeric, and whole garlic cloves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes until lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
- Add the Bulgur: Stir in the rinsed coarse bulgur along with the remaining 2 cups of water. Bring the pot back to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for another 20 minutes until the bulgur is tender and the water is fully absorbed.
- Prepare the Cucumber Mint Yogurt: In a separate bowl, combine plain yogurt, lemon juice, salt, minced garlic, dried mint, and finely diced Persian cucumbers. Stir well and add water gradually to achieve your desired consistency. Refrigerate the yogurt mixture until ready to serve.
- Assemble and Serve: Fluff the cooked bulgur and lentil mixture with a fork. Serve the dish garnished with the reserved caramelized onions and topped with a generous dollop of the cucumber mint yogurt on the side or over the Mujaddarat Bulgur.
Notes
- Use vegetable stock cube to keep the dish vegetarian or substitute with chicken stock for a non-vegetarian version.
- Adjust the amount of water in the cucumber mint yogurt to reach your preferred consistency.
- Coarse bulgur (#3 or #4) is recommended for the best texture; fine bulgur will alter the dish’s consistency.
- Caramelizing onions properly adds depth and sweetness—don’t rush this step for best flavor.
- This dish can be served warm or at room temperature, making it versatile for different occasions.
