Mejadra

Even famous chefs like Yotam Ottolenghi aren’t immune from the unexpected whims of the occasional picky eater (kids!). Luckily, he shares his road-tested blueprint for Mejadra, the popular dish enjoyed around the Arab world—and especially in his home kitchen.

This recipe for Mejadra is great as is, but you can also follow Ottolenghi’s lead and swap the rice and lentils for whatever combination of grains and beans you have on hand. The brown lentils called for here can easily be swapped for green, black, or Le Puy, with the latter taking about 10 minutes longer to cook.