The fast of Tisha B’Av commemorates multiple tragedies in the Jewish history. The destructions of the first and second temples, as well as the Roman massacre of the Jews of Bettar in 132, the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 and from England in 1290, all believed to have happened on the ninth day (tisha in Hebrew) of the Jewish month of Av.
As with all other Jewish holidays and commemorative dates, there is special mourning fare even for the last meal before the fast of Tisha B’Av. It’s interesting to see how round dishes, symbolizing the circle of life, appear in many Jewish communities around the world, lentils and eggs in the Sephardi and Mizrahi communities, bagels in the Ashkenazi ones. These modest foods seem to be especially appropriate to the national mood at the moment. You can read more about it here.
There are many version for mejadra or kichri, the dish most associated with Tisha B’Av in the Mizrahi and Sephardi communities. It consists of either rice or bulgar cooked with lentils, and topped with fried onion or yogurt. And since the dish is vegan or vegetarian, it is common to serve it during the first nine days of the month of Av (Tish B’Av means the ninth of the month of Av) when the minhag (the custom) is to not eat meat.
lentils and rice (mejadra)
Course: sidesCuisine: Arab, LebaneseDifficulty: Easy6
servings20
minutes40
minutes1
hourThere are many version for mejadra or kichri, the dish most associated with Tisha B’Av in the Mizrahi and Sephardi communities. It consists of either rice or bulgar cooked with lentils, and topped with fried onion or yogurt. And since the dish is vegan or vegetarian, it is common to serve it during the first nine days of the month of Av (Tish B’Av means the ninth of the month of Av) when the minhag (the custom) is to not eat meat.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried French lentils
Kosher salt
3 cups water
1 cup Jasmine rice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, cut in half and sliced thinly
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
DIRECTIONS
- Put lentils and 2 teaspoons salt in a sauce pan and cover with 3 cups water. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes until lentils are almost tender. Add rice to pot, mix gently, cover and continue to cook for 20 minutes longer. Add boiling water by the ¼ cup if the stew seems too dry.
- While the rice and lentils are cooking, sauté the onions in 4 tablespoons oil in a large non stick pan over medium heat, until nicely browned. Add brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt for the last two minutes of sautéing and remove from the heat.
- When mejadra is ready, mix in ¾ of the sautéed onion, transfer to a serving bowl and top with the rest of the onion. Serve warm or at room temperature.