Middle Eastern Lentil Salad | With Caramelized Leeks

Rinse the lentils thoroughly in cold water, then place them in a pot with twice their volume of lightly salted water. Add half of the ground cumin, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat until tender yet still pleasantly firm to the bite (approx. 18-20 minutes). Drain and keep warm.

Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then coarsely chop them. Remove the juicy seeds from the pomegranate. Finely chop the parsley and mint leaves.

Clean the leeks and slice them into rings about half a centimeter thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan, add the leeks, a pinch of salt, pepper, and the remaining ground cumin. Sauté slowly over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until sweet, tender, and golden brown.