Equipment
Ingredients
Caramelized Onions
- 500 g yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 45 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 2 g kosher salt
Pilaf
- 450 ml chicken stock, warm
- 100 g brown lentils, rinsed and sorted
- 150 g coarse bulgur wheat, rinsed
- 3 g kosher salt
- 2 g ground cumin
- 1 g ground coriander
- 1 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 437 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 59 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 8 g
- Sodium
- 871 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 639 mg
- Calcium
- 62 mg
- Iron
- 3.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 93 mg
- Phosphorus
- 253 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 11 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.37 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 2.8 mg
- Folate
- 154 mcg
- Water
- 117 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and 2g of kosher salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the onions are reduced, sticky, and deeply caramelized. This should take about 30 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, combine the chicken stock and rinsed brown lentils in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 10 minutes to give the lentils a head start.
Stir the coarse bulgur wheat, remaining 3g of kosher salt, ground cumin, ground coriander, and black pepper into the saucepan with the lentils. Bring the mixture back to a gentle simmer.
Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and cook for 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid during this time.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Keep the lid on and let the pilaf rest for 10 minutes to finish steaming and allow the bulgur to fluff up.
Remove the lid and gently fluff the pilaf with a fork. Fold in half of the deeply caramelized onions. Transfer the mixture to a serving dish and garnish the top with the remaining caramelized onions.
Chef's Notes
- Using coarse (number 3) or extra-coarse (number 4) bulgur is essential for a proper pilaf texture; fine bulgur will turn to mush when simmered this long.
- Patience is the secret ingredient for caramelized onions. Do not rush them on high heat, or they will fry and burn rather than sweetening and melting.
- Because chicken stock sodium levels vary wildly, always taste your cooking liquid after adding the spices but before adding the bulgur. It should taste pleasantly salty, like a good soup.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen overnight.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze in individual portioned containers. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheating: Microwave with a splash of water, or reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Lentils are still crunchy while the bulgur is fully cooked
Cause: Lentils were old, or they were not given enough of a head start before adding the bulgur
Fix: Add 60ml of hot water or stock, cover, and simmer on low for an additional 5 to 10 minutes
Prevention: Ensure lentils are fresh and boil them for the full 10 minutes before introducing the bulgur
Bulgur is mushy and sticking together
Cause: Used fine bulgur instead of coarse, or added too much liquid
Fix: Spread the pilaf on a baking sheet and place in a warm oven for 5 minutes to evaporate excess moisture, though texture will remain softer than ideal
Prevention: Always use coarse or extra-coarse bulgur for pilaf applications and measure liquids carefully
Onions burned instead of caramelizing
Cause: Heat was too high or onions were not stirred frequently enough
Fix: Pick out the blackened pieces. If the burnt flavor permeates the batch, you must start over
Prevention: Maintain medium-low heat and have patience; caramelization cannot be rushed
Cultural Context
This dish is heavily inspired by Mujadara, a historic Levantine comfort food typically made with rice or bulgur and lentils. While traditionally a strictly vegetarian or vegan dish, the addition of chicken stock in this variation elevates the savory depth, making it an exceptionally hearty and robust side dish.
