Mujadara

This is a middle eastern dish that I order all of the time at Lavash and Aladdin's here in Columbus.  Since I'll be leaving those places behind, I'll need a way to make my own... this recipe looks really simple, as you cook the lentils and rice in the same pan (just one separate pan for caramelizing onions for garnish at the end..)

Mujadara (credit: http://theconfusedhomemaker.com/2010/03/10/mujadara-lentils-rice-and-carmalized-onions/)
1 Cup Lentils (green, yellow, or a combo)
1 Cup Rice
3 1/2 Cups Water
4 Onions
1 Tea­spoon Cumin
1 Tea­spoon Salt
1/2 Tea­spoon Pep­per
2 Table­spoons Veg­etable Oil

Slice the onions. The onions should be sliced long, so they look like a rain­bow ver­sus diced into small pieces.  Heat pot on med-high heat. Add 1 Table­spoon of Veg­etable Oil and 1/2 an onion. Cook until onion is caramelized.  Add lentils, water, salt and pep­per. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and sim­mer for 20 minutes.  After 20 min­utes, add rice and 1 tea­spoon cumin. Cover and sim­mer for addi­tional 20 minutes.

Heat a fry­ing pan over med-high heat. Add the remain­ing 1 table­spoon of veg­etable oil and remain­ing onions. Cook until fully caramelized and blackened.