Zhudra: Middle Eastern Lentil & Rice Soup

Sixty picture later, I’ve just given up.  Zhudra is simply not a pretty dish. You’ll need to take my word that it’s delicious. Earthy lentils, bitter (in a good way) umami-rich onions, balancing rice and lots of black pepper combine to make one of my all-time favorite bean dishes.  It’s hearty and filling.  This Middle Eastern rice and lentil soup is even vegan if that’s your thing.  It’s a comfort dish that transports me to Aunt Myra’s kitchen and some warm happy memories.  She is a terrific cook and introduced my childhood to mint in green salads (that one took me a while to get used to), Syrian meatloaf, and this wonderful lentil dish.  Later in life she introduced me to cheap jug wine but that’s a story for another time.

Fair Warning!

This can be a polarizing dish. Very few people say it’s just meh.  They either love it or they hate it.  In my family of five siblings, I think it may have been two for and three agin’ … In my house now let’s just say there were plenty of leftovers of the zhudra but the french fries were cleaned out.  Why am I sharing this recipe if there’s a distinct possibility it won’t be well received?  Well, because if you like it, you really, really like it… and it’s cheap so no harm/no foul if you have to toss it in the deep freeze in single servings for yourself (I say with some realistic resignation). 

In any case, it’s an excellent excuse to make my homemade french fries, the de rigeur accompaniment which with my adult eye now makes wicked clear sense – that smart Aunt Myra. A person who wants to sit at her table and enjoy a memorable dish from childhood does not want to hear people at the table grousing about the zhudra which they can’t do if they’re stuffing their hungry little snoots with french fries.  Go ahead, ask me how I know.

Anyway, I hope that I do Aunt Myra, the David clan, and family memory proud with my recipe for zhudra.  I’ll follow soon with my french fry recipe to keep peace in your house, too. In a pinch, and more often than not in my mother’s kitchen, Ore-Ida shoestrings made an appearance. No shame there.

Commenceth

First things first, put in your contacts or don a pair of goggles because this recipe requires a lot of onion cutting.  Laugh if you want but the goggles (swim or workbench style) will save your mascara.  It’ll also keep your nose from running like a faucet (do onions do that to anyone else?).  If you’re still reading …  Chop four large onions.  Large is the size of a softball.  Use five if they are baseball sized.  Do the math yourself if they’re any smaller. The onions should be the regular yellow sort and the chop does not have to be fine.  This may seem like a ton of onions but they cook down considerably.

Cooking the onions … very important info

Now for the progression of the onions.  Below I am using a 12-inch, high-sided sauté pan (for scale).  The onions will cook down in 2 tablespoons of oil to about one cup of deliciousness.  This process takes at least one hour to do right; using medium heat until they burn, yes burn. This go-round took me about an hour and fifteen.  The bitterness you get from the slowly burnt onion is what flavors this lentil rice soup so distinctly and deliciously. Trust me on that point.

As the onions start to darken and seem to be disappearing RESIST the desire to pull them off the stove.  They need to burn, erm, I mean turn mahogany … almost ebony… just not irovy. 

I got to one hour, fifteen(ish) minutes to get this point (above).  Set aside while you get the lentils and rice take care of. Hocus Pocus Ain’t No Jokus Add to the cooked lentils and rice.  And fresh ground pepper … lots of it… add and then add some more.  I add another tablespoon(ish) of Diamond Kosher salt.  I feel your Eek! Taste and adjust to your palate. Without enough salt and pepper these ingredients will Just. Fall Flat. Carry on my boobalahs!

Lentils and Rice

Backing up a sec in the recipe progression… you will need to sort for oogies, rinse and drain the lentils.  Always rinse dried beans.  And pick through them for bits that don’t belong.  Fear not, I just mean tiny pebbles or discolored beans.

Put the rinsed lentils into a soup pot.

 Add rice…

… water …

…and salt.  Stir, put the lid on, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  I couldn’t make this recipe difficult if I tried.  Oh, wait that blackened onion pan … I have a helpful hint that involves an SOS pad and vinegar.  Intrigued? Here go you …

Helpful hint from Heloisesque

Right about now you will be staring at your pan and wondering if it’s a lost cause.  It is not.  When all is said and done and the lentils have met the onions, just fill your (now empty!) pan with water, put over high heat and bring to a boil.  Add about 1/4 cup of white vinegar and turn the heat off.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes (don’t let it cool).  Dump in the sink and go to town with your SOS pad.  It’ll come clean … with a bit of elbow grease.

To Serve

The pic above is my perfect texture for zhudra… not dry (as in pilaf) nor wet (as in broth soup).

Though zhudra is ready to eat right away, put a lid on and let this lentil rice soup sit for about 10 minutes so the flavors meld and you avoid roof scalding.  This gives you just enough time to do the second fry on your french fries or pop the Ore-Ida’s into the oven!  Just before serving, feel free to stir in water if you want a soupier consistency.

I hope you give this humble lentil rice soup a go… if you do, please #piecrustandpasta and @piecrustandpasta me on Instagram and/or Facebook. I’d love your feedback (be kind please!). Comments below are also welcome and I’m here for questions or clarification. Happy cooking!