Nov 9, 2019 - The Mejadra recipe in Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi's Jerusalem: A Cookbook is Tamimi's take on the traditional Arab comfort food combination of rice, lentils, and onions.

Yotam Ottolenghi is an Israeli-born chef and food writer based in London. There are many variations to the classic tahchin . The golden saffron infused rice and yoghurt cake may be layered with succulent lamb, chicken or even fish. Here, the rice and lentils are steamed together with a plethora of spices, pilaf style, before adding the pièce de résistance--a smattering of freshly fried onions. The factor about rice is, it has a dynamic wardrobe. This gorgeous rice cake is my interpretation of the classic Persian tahchin which means “layered in the bottom”.

Sure, it’s small and unassuming, and […] When I asked Ottolenghi about his favorite lunch recipes, this one came up immediately: “I always forget how much I love the three rice with chicken salad in my first book, Ottolenghi: The Cookbook , until I eat it,” he told me.

Rice is certainly one of my fundamental comforts as of late, not least as a result of this particular grain transports me wherever I wish to go – all from the confines of my very own kitchen, in fact. Drain into the sieve, then rinse with cold water to keep rice from cooking further. It features an enticing sauce for pasta made with baked eggplant fragrant with cumin, onion, and garlic, topped with a rich sauce made with creme fraiche, Parmesan and Greek yogurt. Nearly any Ottolenghi recipe is very, very good to eat for lunch, and this recipe, for a rice and chicken salad, exemplifies that perfectly. Drain rice well and place in a large bowl. Drain into the sieve, then rinse with cold water to keep rice from cooking further. This Persian/Iranian pasta caught my attention the first time I leafed through Yotam Ottolenghi’s new cookbook. Cook rice, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes.