Middle Eastern Spiced Lentil Salad | Hearty Autumn Bowl

Rinse the lentils thoroughly in cold water, then place them in a saucepan with twice as much lightly salted water. Add half of the ground cumin and ground cinnamon, bring to a boil, and simmer until tender yet pleasantly firm to the bite (al dente, about 18–20 minutes). Drain and leave to cool to room temperature.

Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, then chop coarsely. Cut the pomegranate in half and remove the juicy seeds. Finely chop the fresh parsley and mint.

Slice the onions into thin rings. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet, add the onions with a pinch of salt and the remaining ground cumin, then cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown and crispy (about 10–12 minutes).