Rummaniyya

Rinse the brown lentils. Measure out 100 ml of water and set it aside for the flour slurry, then pour the rest of the water into a pot with the lentils. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, until the lentils are almost tender.

Peel the eggplant if you like and cut it into roughly 2 cm cubes. Add it to the lentils and cook for another 15–20 minutes, until the eggplant is soft and the lentils are fully cooked.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour into the reserved 100 ml of water until smooth and lump-free. Pour the mixture into the pot, stirring constantly.

Add the sour pomegranate juice, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, cumin and salt. Stir well and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and takes on a pronounced sour tang.

Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan. Add the minced garlic and sauté over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, until golden but not browned.

Pour the hot garlic oil into the pot, stir gently and let the rummaniyya heat through for another 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat, let it rest for 5 minutes, and serve warm or cooled to room temperature.