Back by popular demand: Syrian lentils and macaroni

I've had requests this week for Harak Osbao, "Burnt Fingers", a Syrian comfort food featured in the Cook for Syria event last year in London.  I like to serve it to groups to show solidarity with the long suffering Syrian people.  It has all their flavor groups: pomegranate molasses, lemon, Aleppo pepper, cilantro, fried garlic and sumac.  And it's vegan, if that helps. So here it is again:

Harak Osbao

 

for 8: 


¾ lb brown lentils

4 cups vegetable broth

2 c water

2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

1½  tsp Aleppo pepper

1 tbsp salt

1 c mini macaroni

2 med red onions, peeled and cut into thin rings

3 tbsp olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

½ bunch cilantro leaves, finely chopped

½ bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 sm pomegranate, seeds only

1 lemon, juice freshly squeezed

freshly ground black pepper

IF YOU HAVE IT: 1 tsp dried or 1 tbsp fresh sumac

In a large saucepan or small soup pot, combine water and broth. Bring to a boil, add lentils and cook 20 minutes. Add macaroni and cook until tender. Drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Blend in the pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper and salt. Blend in all but 1 tsp of the lemon juice.

While the lentils and macaroni cook, sauté the onion rings in 2 tbsp olive oil until soft and golden. Be careful not to burn. Remove with a slotted spoon and put in the minced garlic cloves. If needed, add the last tbsp. olive oil. When they start to brown—not burn, add the cilantro leaves, stir once and remove from heat. Add the sumac if you have it. Put the onions on top of the lentils and macaroni in the serving bowl, then the fried garlic. Top with chopped parsley and then the pomegranate seeds. Finish with the last tsp. of fresh lemon juice.