Rishta bi Adas (LENTIL STEW WITH HOME-MADE NOODLES)

I created this tradition of making Mjaddara during the first week of the year. After days of overeating and drinking during the holidays, and after spending too much, a dish with little ingredients, low effort, and high nutrition. It happened one year that I posted the dish on my instagram story and many messaged me telling me they either made it as well or were planning to make it. Thus declaring the first week of the year to be Mjaddra week. In 2023, I posted the recipe on my blog to make it official. 

People in Lebanon, most probably also in other parts of Bilad Al Sham, have a tradition of making a dish that is white in color for the new year. Something with yogurt mostly. Something to signify and manifest a bright year ahead. Italians make something with lentils, for lentils look like coins and that signifies lots of money.

This year, on the first week of the new year, I was recovering from the super flu. A virus that will wreck your body. Itchy throat, fatigue, drowsiness, cough, and fever. I was barely able to cook anything. I missed cooking something white. I didn’t make Mjaddara. But this past week, someone gave me an idea to make Rishta bi Adas, a dish I have in my book Bayrut The Cookbook. I haven’t made it in a while, probably since the past winter. This has been the coldest this season and I decided to make Rishta without the need to go out and buy anything. I didn’t have flour. I didn’t have wide pasta. Thankfully I had small red lentils and onions and lemons and soup noodles. The dish was made. The dish tasted good. Of course I prefer it with homemade noodles and crispy fried dough on top to give it an extra crunch. But I do not regret it. 

Rishta is a winter dish, mostly known in the villages of the Lebanon. I tried a similar Syrian version of this dish called horaa osbao prepared by Dima, a friend who is originally from Damascus. It was delicious comfort food – a flavour festival. In the recipe from BAYRUT THE COOKBOOK, I’ve combined elements from the traditional Lebanese recipe with Dima’s version – to take it even closer to the Syrian dish you could also garnish it with fried bread and pomegranate seeds. If you like, you can use 250 g (9 oz) of ready-made tagliatelle rather than making noodles from scratch 

Rishta bi Adas

Rishta is a winter dish, mostly known in the villages of the Lebanon.

Cuisine: Lebanese, Levantine Courses: Dinner, Lunch

Print Recipe

Ingredients

Servings

For the noodle dough

• 200 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting (1²⁄³ cups)
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon fine salt
• 150 ml water (more if needed) (scant ²⁄³ cup)

For the stew

• 350 g whole brown or red lentils, rinsed (scant 1½ cups)
• 2 litres water (8 cups)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 250 g onions, thinly sliced (9 oz)
• 2 tablespoons Coriander and Garlic Pesto
• zest of 1 lemon
• 150 ml lemon juice (scant ²⁄³ cup)

To serve

• handful of coriander leaves
• lemon wedges, for squeezing
• pomegranate molasses, for drizzling

Instructions

1. First, make the noodle dough. In a large bowl, mix together the flour and salt, then gradually add the water (depending on your flour, you may need a little less water) and knead until a firm dough forms. Knead a little longer until the dough is soft and smooth. Cover and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
2. Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft.
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the onions and fry, stirring occasionally, until just starting to lightly brown. Stop the cooking with 2 tablespoons of water, then add the onions to the lentil pan.
4. Divide the dough and roll out on a floured work surface into very thin strips (or use a pasta machine). Cut with a roller cutter or knife into thin noodles, sprinkle with a little more flour and toss to coat. Repeat to use up all of the dough. Shake off the excess flour and drop the noodles into the cooked lentils. Stir and leave to cook for 2–3 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same pan you used to cook the onions and sauté the pesto until fragrant. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and remove from the heat. Add the mixture to the lentils and noodles, then remove the pan from the heat.
6. Serve in bowls, scattered with fresh coriander leaves, with lemon wedges for squeezing over and plenty of pomegranate molasses for drizzling.

Keywords: lentils, lentil, rishta, richta, winter, noodles, soup, stew,