Rummaniyya

Ingredients

Lentils

• 300 gbrown or green lentils
• 1.5 litreswater

Aubergine

• 2large aubergines, peeled and diced
• 1 tbspsalt, for drawing

Souring

• 400 mlfresh sour pomegranate juice
• 3 tbsppomegranate molasses
• juice of 1 lemon

Base

• 5 tbspolive oil
• 1 headof garlic, crushed
• 2hot green chillies, chopped
• 1 tbspground cumin
• 1 tspdill seed, crushed
• salt

To thicken

• 2 tbsptahini, if wanted
• 1 tbspplain flour

To finish

• fresh pomegranate seeds
• olive oil, to pour over
• chopped dill

To serve

• flatbread
• as a cold dish

Directions

1. Peel the aubergines, which is unusual but correct here. Cut the flesh into cubes of about two centimetres. Toss them with the tablespoon of salt. Put the salted cubes in a colander over a bowl. Leave them for thirty minutes. Rinse them and squeeze them gently. This stops them soaking up quite so much oil later.
2. Rinse the lentils and pick them over. Put them in a pot with the water. Bring them to the boil and skim any foam. Simmer them for about twenty-five minutes. They should be soft but should not have collapsed entirely.
3. Keep them in their cooking liquid. Frying the aubergine is done separately. Heat three tablespoons of the olive oil in a wide pan. Add the drained aubergine cubes. Fry them for eight to ten minutes until softened and browned. Add a little more oil only if the pan goes completely dry.
4. Set the fried aubergine aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the crushed garlic and the chopped chilli. Cook them gently for two minutes. Do not let the garlic brown, which turns it bitter.
5. Stir in the cumin and the crushed dill seed. Fry the spices for thirty seconds. Add the garlic and spice mixture to the lentil pot. Add the fried aubergine to the pot. Season it with salt now that the lentils are soft. Simmer it together for fifteen minutes. Adding the sour element is done carefully.
6. Whisk the flour into a little cold water until smooth. Stir it into the pot to thicken it slightly. Simmer it for five minutes to cook the flour out. Add the fresh lemon juice as well. Stir it through and simmer for another ten minutes.
7. Taste it as you go, since sourness is the whole balance. Judging the consistency tells you when it is done. Add hot water if it has gone too stiff. Cook it down further if it is loose. Stir in the tahini now if you are using it, which enriches it. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely. Serving it hot is not how it is done in Gaza.
8. Spoon it into a shallow dish and level it. Pour a generous swirl of olive oil over the surface. Scatter fresh pomegranate seeds over it. Add plenty of freshly chopped dill. Serve flatbread alongside for scooping. It keeps for four days in the fridge and improves overnight.

Technique

• Use sour pomegranates or make up the difference with molasses, since sweet fruit gives a flat dish.
• Peel the aubergines, as the skin stays tough in a stewed dish.
• It is eaten cold or at room temperature rather than hot.

Substitutions

• Pomegranate molasses in place of fresh sour juice.
• Red lentils for a smoother result, though they collapse entirely.

Variations

• With tahini stirred through for a richer stew.
• Made hotter, with more green chilli.
• Without aubergine, as a plain sour lentil dish.

History

Gazan lentil and aubergine stew soured with fresh pomegranate juice, eaten cold when the fruit ripens.

Frequently asked questions

What is Rummaniyya?

Rummaniyya is a soup & stew from Palestine: gazan lentils and eggplant soured with pomegranate. Gazan lentil and aubergine stew soured with fresh pomegranate juice, eaten cold when the fruit ripens.

How long does Rummaniyya take to make?

Rummaniyya takes 30 min of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Rummaniyya?

Yes, within limits. Pomegranate molasses in place of fresh sour juice. Red lentils for a smoother result, though they collapse entirely.

What is the most important thing to get right in Rummaniyya?

Set the fried aubergine aside. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the crushed garlic and the chopped chilli. Cook them gently for two minutes. Do not let the garlic brown, which turns it bitter.