Ingredients
7 medium onions (mix of yellow and white)
5 ½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup red lentils
4 large garlic cloves (minced)
½ large red bell pepper (finely diced)
1 cup parsley (finely chopped)
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and black pepper (to taste)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
For the Sauce
½ cup tomato paste
4 cups water
Additional seasoning (salt, pepper, optional spices)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Yogurt sauce (yogurt mixed with a bit of lemon juice, garlic, and salt)
Directions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Step 2
Boil a large pot of water. Prepare the onions by cutting off the tops and bottoms and removing the outer skin. Boil the onions for 10-15 minutes until they start to soften. Drain and allow to cool.
Step 3
Carefully peel 4-5 whole layers from each onion. Finely chop the remaining inner layers.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine the chopped onion layers, Arborio rice, minced garlic, diced red bell pepper, red lentils, parsley, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, olive oil, and the Middle Eastern seasoning blend. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
For the Sauce
Step 1
In a separate bowl, mix ½ cup of tomato paste, 4 cups of water, seasoning, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and olive oil to create the sauce.
Step 2
Stuff each onion layer with the rice mixture and roll up gently. Arrange them in a baking dish.
Step 3
Pour the prepared sauce over the stuffed onions until they are fully covered.
Step 4
Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking for another 20-30 minutes, or until the onions are caramelized and soft.
Step 5
Serve the stuffed onions with a side of yogurt sauce.
