A relative of tabbouleh, but (usually) served hot and made with lentils. This is a good vegetarian main course, but also a fine side dish at a Middle Eastern or other meal. The onion-mint garnish is terrific stuff.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 6 servings

　　1/2 cup dried brown or green lentils, rinsed and picked over

　　5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　1 teaspoon minced garlic

　　2 jalapeños or other fresh chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or to taste

　　1 ripe medium tomato, chopped

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin or 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

　　1 cup medium bulgur

　　About 3 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, preferably homemade (page 160 or 162), or water

　　1 large onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

　　

Step 1

If time allows, soak the lentils in cold water to cover for an hour or more (overnight is fine). Drain.

　　

Step 2

Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large deep saucepan over medium heat. A minute later, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, another minute or so. Add the jalapeños, tomato, and cumin and cook until the tomato is soft, 2 or 3 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Add the bulgur and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the stock and lentils. Bring to a boil, then cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily; cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils and bulgur are tender and all the liquid is absorbed. If the mixture threatens to dry out, add another 1/2 cup liquid and continue cooking; if the mixture is too wet, raise the heat a bit and cook, uncovered and stirring, until it dries out.

　　

Step 4

While the lentil mixture is cooking, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to a skillet and cook the onion over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until deep brown, caramelized, and on the verge of blackening, at least 20 minutes. Stir in most of the mint and remove from the heat.

　　

Step 5

When the lentil-bulgur mixture is done, garnish it with the onion and remaining mint and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.