Mortar & KettleMEAL IDEAS · №033
Harrak Osbao Medium · about 1 hour · Forgiving · 1 pot Levantine lentils and pasta in a sweet-sour pomegranate broth ('he burned his finger') Harrak osbao (literally 'he burned his finger,' for the impatient cook who couldn't wait for it to cool) is a Levantine one-pot of lentils and pasta bound in a dark, sweet-sour pomegranate broth. It all happens in a single pot: onions cooked slow and deep to caramel, garlic and a fistful of cilantro, then lentils simmered soft, elbow pasta, and finally the two things that make it sing, pomegranate molasses and lemon. It comes to the table like a thick soup, crowned with crisp fried pita, the reserved sweet onions, and a scatter of ruby pomegranate seeds. Humble, tangy, and impossible to stop eating, finger-burning and all. INGREDIENTS 200 g lentils (brown or green) 960 ml filtered water (4 cups, plus extra hot water as needed) 80 g pasta (elbows) 4 cloves garlic (crushed) 2 medium onions (thinly sliced) 30 g fresh cilantro (fresh or frozen, chopped) 1 pita bread (cut into small squares) 60 ml olive oil (for the onions) 60 ml frying oil (for frying the pita) 0.25 g cumin seeds (ground; ≈ 1/8 tsp) 1.3 g sea salt (or to taste) 30 ml pomegranate molasses (≈ 2 tbsp) 1 lemon (juiced, about 2 1/2 tbsp) 40 g pomegranate (arils; optional garnish) Method Rinse: give the lentils a good rinse and pick out any grit or debris. Onions: heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the sliced onions, stirring, until deep golden and caramelised. Lift out about half and set aside for the garnish. (10–15 min) Aromatics: add the crushed garlic and the cilantro and cook about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. (30 sec) Simmer: add the lentils, cumin, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are soft, topping up with hot water so they stay covered. (~40 min) Pita: meanwhile, fry the pita squares in hot oil until golden and crisp, then drain on paper towels. Pasta: once the lentils are tender, stir in the elbow pasta and cook until tender. (8–10 min) Season: stir in the salt, pomegranate molasses, and lemon juice, and simmer a couple of minutes. It should fall like a thick soup; loosen with a little hot water if it tightens too much. (2–3 min) Serve: ladle into bowls and crown each with crispy pita, the reserved caramelised onions, and pomegranate seeds. Taste, and sharpen with more lemon or molasses as you like. The chemistry citric acid (C₆H₈O₇) · the sour lift ellagic acid (C₁₄H₆O₈) · pomegranate tannin anthocyanins (C₁₅H₁₁O₆⁺) · ruby arils pyrazines (C₈H₁₂N₂) · Maillard roast glutamic acid (C₅H₉NO₄) · the lentils' savour (E)-2-decenal (C₁₀H₁₈O) · the cilantro note allicin (C₆H₁₀OS₂) · raw-garlic bite cuminaldehyde (C₁₀H₁₂O) · warm cumin Nutrition Calories · 1922 Protein · 71 g Total Fat · 60 g Saturated Fat · 8 g Total Carbohydrate · 284 g Dietary Fiber · 33 g Total Sugars · 48 g Sodium · 861 mg Cholesterol · 0 mg

Mortar & Kettle · MORTARANDKETTLE.COM

MEAL IDEAS · №033

Harrak Osbao

Name: Harrak Osbao
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2 pots
Ingredients: 200 g lentils; 960 ml filtered water; 80 g pasta; 4 cloves garlic; 2 medium onions; 30 g fresh cilantro; 1 pita bread; 60 ml olive oil; 60 ml frying oil; 0.25 g cumin seeds; 1.25 g sea salt; 30 ml pomegranate molasses; 1 lemon; 40 g pomegranate

Levantine lentils and pasta in a sweet-sour pomegranate broth ('he burned his finger')

Harrak osbao (literally 'he burned his finger,' for the impatient cook who couldn't wait for it to cool) is a Levantine one-pot of lentils and pasta bound in a dark, sweet-sour pomegranate broth. It all happens in a single pot: onions cooked slow and deep to caramel, garlic and a fistful of cilantro, then lentils simmered soft, elbow pasta, and finally the two things that make it sing, pomegranate molasses and lemon. It comes to the table like a thick soup, crowned with crisp fried pita, the reserved sweet onions, and a scatter of ruby pomegranate seeds. Humble, tangy, and impossible to stop eating, finger-burning and all.

Mediumabout 1 hourForgiving

TartSweetEarthyHerbaceousUmamiFruityDigestiveImmuneAnti-inflammatory

Method

Check off each step as you go. Your progress is saved. Amounts below already match your batch size.

Rinse: give the lentils a good rinse and pick out any grit or debris.

▸200 glentils

Onions: heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the sliced onions, stirring, until deep golden and caramelised. Lift out about half and set aside for the garnish.

▸60 mlolive oil▸2 mediumonions

10–15 min

Aromatics: add the crushed garlic and the cilantro and cook about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

▸4 clovesgarlic▸30 gfresh cilantro

30 sec

Simmer: add the lentils, cumin, and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are soft, topping up with hot water so they stay covered.

▸200 glentils▸0.25 gcumin seeds▸960 mlfiltered water

~40 min

Pita: meanwhile, fry the pita squares in hot oil until golden and crisp, then drain on paper towels.

▸1 pita bread▸60 mlfrying oil

Pasta: once the lentils are tender, stir in the elbow pasta and cook until tender.

▸80 gpasta

8–10 min

Season: stir in the salt, pomegranate molasses, and lemon juice, and simmer a couple of minutes. It should fall like a thick soup; loosen with a little hot water if it tightens too much.

▸1.3 gsea salt▸30 mlpomegranate molasses▸1 lemon

2–3 min

Serve: ladle into bowls and crown each with crispy pita, the reserved caramelised onions, and pomegranate seeds. Taste, and sharpen with more lemon or molasses as you like.

▸1 pita bread▸2 mediumonions▸40 gpomegranate

“Depth is patience you can taste. Trust the process.”

THE MORTAR & KETTLE METHOD

The chemistry

SKELETAL STRUCTURES

8 compounds carry this recipe. Here is what each one does and, where we have it, what it actually looks like.

C₆H₈O₇

citric acid

C₆H₈O₇

Lemon and pomegranate molasses stack their acids into the bright, mouth-watering sourness that defines harak osbao and cuts the earthy lentils.

Tart

C₁₄H₆O₈

ellagic acid

C₁₄H₆O₈

The antioxidant ellagitannin of reduced pomegranate juice: dark and faintly astringent, and the reason pomegranate carries such a health reputation.

Anti-inflammatory

C₁₅H₁₁O₆⁺

anthocyanins

C₁₅H₁₁O₆⁺

The red pigments of the fresh seeds scattered on top: a burst of tart-sweet fruit and jewel colour against the brown stew.

Fruity

C₈H₁₂N₂

pyrazines

C₈H₁₂N₂

Born as the onions cook down to caramel and the pita fries golden, a toasty, savoury depth folded through the stew two ways.

UmamiEarthy

C₅H₉NO₄

glutamic acid

C₅H₉NO₄

Free glutamate the long simmer draws out of the lentils, the quiet, meatless umami the whole bowl is built on.

Umami

C₁₀H₁₈O

(E)-2-decenal

C₁₀H₁₈O

The aldehyde behind fresh cilantro's green, citrus-soapy scent, stirred in early so it perfumes the pot from the base up.

Herbaceous

C₆H₁₀OS₂

allicin

C₆H₁₀OS₂

Formed the instant the garlic is crushed; a brief 30-second cook softens it just enough while keeping its pungent, protective edge.

Immune

C₁₀H₁₂O

cuminaldehyde

C₁₀H₁₂O

Even an eighth of a teaspoon threads cumin's warm, earthy aroma through the lentils, the traditional digestive note that settles a bowl of pulses.

EarthyDigestive

Nutrition

ESTIMATED · WHOLE RECIPE

A rough estimate for everything this recipe makes: the whole batch, not one serving. It moves with the batch size you set above.

Nutrition Facts

Whole recipemakes 1 pot

Amounts are for the entire recipe, not one serving.

Calories1922

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 60g78%

Saturated Fat 8.5g42%

Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 861mg37%

Total Carbohydrate 284g103%

Dietary Fiber 33g119%

Total Sugars 48g

Protein 71g142%

Vitamin A 106mcg12%

Vitamin C 68mg75%

Calcium 259mg20%

Iron 18mg99%

Potassium 2478mg53%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

An estimate, summed from USDA reference values (13 of 13 ingredients counted). Oil for frying and water for boiling are left out; everything else is counted as listed. Real numbers shift with brand, ripeness, and how it's cooked. Treat it as a ballpark, not dietary or medical advice.