Uniquely robust and flavorful Kamut pilaf with lentil and vegetables

Kamut – unique and robust texture and nutrition

I first learned of khorasan wheat via Kamut (brand name) through an article (I don’t recall which one any more) and after a quick research, decided to try it out. It’s an ancient form of whole grain wheat with highly robust, chewy texture and nutty flavor like none other. I immediately fell in love it. As a bonus point, compared to other grains, it’s higher in nutrients such as protein, dietary fibers, B vitamins, manganese, and iron. Good resources on Kamut can be found in blog posts by The Spruce Eats and Bob’s Red Mill.

Variation of Mujadara

So, I decide to adapt a recipe for a Lebanese dish called Mujadara, typically made with onion, lentil and rice. Among a few versions I’ve seen, this one from Food52 sounded great. A few adjustments I made are:

• Use Kamut instead of rice. Kamut takes longer to cook, so I soaked for a few hours and parboiled for about 20 minutes before adding to the onion mix.
• As for lentil, for a crunchier texture (which I like), I parboiled it only for 5 minutes, adding to the Kamut pot toward the end.
• It’s hard to go minimalist when it comes to cooking a dish like this, so added herbs (thyme and mint), aromatics (garlic and Fresno pepper) and vegetables (tomato, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, etc.).
• If I have them, I usually add dried dates and/or sun-dried tomatoes. Thought it would add subtle sweetness – which turned out to work perfectly with Kamut and other ingredients.
• In cooking all the ingredients in a pot, to make sure the liquid circulates well, I’ve dropped a piece of parchment paper to cover the surface, similar to what’s called “otoshibuta” in Japanese cooking. This method also has a bonus point of surface scums sticking to the paper and being removed without much efforts.

I ended up burning onions a bit too much, but the result was highly satisfying, particularly the robust texture of Kamut, which can become addictive!

Non-vegetarian variations

This dish is flavorful and hearty enough without a help of meat or fish, and sometimes I used them as a substantial side like this example to go with scallop & prosciutto. You can also make variations by adding different types of protein and vegetables like:

• Sau·téd or broiled chicken thighs when you add Kamut and lentil. And in that case, make sure you glaze the pan with the stock you will be using.
• Broiled sausage pieces (see the method from the dish with vegetables and pasta) and red bell peppers.

Kamut also works well with strong flavored spices like turmeric, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and cardamom, so it will be fun to experiment with different combinations.

Hope you get to try this splendid grain – either via this recipe or simply boiling it as a side dish. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Uniquely robust and flavorful Kamut pilaf with lentil and vegetables

Adapted from Lebanese Mujadara, a satisfying dish with Kamut (ancient wheat with robust texture), lentil, caramelized onion, broccoli, cauliflower, sun-dried tomatoes cherry tomatoes, and aromatics and herbs. Can stay vegetarian, or add chicken or sausage to make it a main dish.

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Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4

Calories 490 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1-1/2 cups Kamut
• 1 cup green lentil
• 2 cups sliced onions
• 1 bulb garlic
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1 head broccoli
• 1/2 head cauliflower
• 1 piece fresno pepper
• 3 sprigs mints
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs oregano
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 oz sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil
• 1 oz feta cheese
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock can use vegetable or mushroom stocks to stay vegan

Instructions

 

Soak and parboil Kamut and lentil

• Lightly rinse Kamult and soak in water about 3 times the volume of Kamut for several hours (or overnight) in a bowl.
• Lightly rinse lentil and soak in water about 3 times the volume of lentil for a few hours.
• Right before you start sautéing garlic and onion, parboil Kamut for about 20 minutes in a large pot of water. Add lentil to the pot and boil for another 5 minutes. Let them sit for about 10 minutes and drain.

Sauté garlic and onion

• Peel garlic cloves (as many as you want) to use them as whole cloves or, depending on your preference, slice them length-wise. Slice onions relatively thin length-wise.
• Heat a large stainless steel or cast iron pan for a few minutes on medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and let it roll in the pan for a minute or so.
• Add garlics and sauté for a few minutes until they turn golden brown. Fish out the garlics and set them aside.
  
• Add onions and sauté for about 15 – 20 minutes, until they are caramelized. If needed, add more olive oil a little by little to prevent the onion from charring too much.
  
• Add sliced Fresno peppers and sauté for a few minutes.

Incorporate thyme/oregano and tomatoes

• While onions are being sautéed, halve cherry tomatoes lengthwise. Or, if you are using larger tomatoes, cut them in about 1 inch pieces.
• Separate thyme and oregano leaves and add them to the onions.
• Once thyme/oregano leaves are incorporated, add dry spices (cumin, turmeric, and black pepper in this case).
• Once the spices are incorporated, add tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes.
  

Add Kamut, lentil, dates and broth

• Add Kamut and lentil to the pot and mix together for a minute.
• Julienne sun-dried tomatoes and add to the mix.
• Add back the garlics to the pot.
• Add about 2 cups of broth, just barely enough to cover the top of the mix. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir well. Once the pot starts simmering, remove scums at the top, drop the heat to medium low
  
• Cover the pot with parchment paper (to circulate the low level of liquid better) and cook for about 15 minute until the liquid is absorbed. Stir the pot every 3-5 minutes to prevent the food from burning, and add a little bit of broth as needed.
  
• Taste and add more salt if needed.

Prepare cauliflower and broccoli add to the pot

• Break them into small florets and dry well. Add to the pot a few minutes before finishing and let them stay at the top.

Prepare and add toppings

• Mint – separate into individual leaves.
• Feta cheese – break into small pieces.
• Serve the pilaf on a plate add mint leaves and feta cheese.
  

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 27gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 651mgPotassium: 1807mgFiber: 24gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1757IUVitamin C: 212mgCalcium: 200mgIron: 8mg

Keyword broccoli, chewy, hearty, High protein low carb, kale, Kamut, lentil, nutritional and flavorful, onions, plant proteins, robust

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