Pomegranate Walnut Lentil Bowl

Prep Trim king oyster mushrooms and slice lengthwise into thick steaks. Score each face in a crosshatch pattern with shallow cuts. Toast walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat 4 minutes until deep gold and fragrant. Pulse in a chopper to a coarse rubble. Dice 1 onion for the fesenjan and slice the second onion into thin rings. Mince 3 garlic cloves for the fesenjan and 2 for the koshari sauce. Crumble saffron into 2 tbsp hot water. Dice the tomato. Pick parsley leaves.

Boil Bring 300ml water to a boil in a small pot. Add lentils and simmer uncovered 18 minutes until tender but holding shape. Drain. In a separate small pot, cook rice in 120ml salted water covered over lowest heat 15 minutes. In a third small pot, boil macaroni in salted water 7 minutes and drain.

Sear Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high 90 seconds. Lay mushroom steaks cut-side down and sear 4 minutes per side until both faces are deep mahogany and the flesh tenderizes. Lift to a plate.

Build 1 Reduce heat to medium. Add diced fesenjan onion to the same skillet and cook 4 minutes until soft and gold. Stir in fesenjan garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, sumac, 0.5 tsp salt, and pepper 60 seconds. Add walnut rubble and toast 90 seconds until the oil turns deep amber.

Simmer Pour in pomegranate molasses, saffron with its water, and 200ml water. Reduce to low and simmer 6 minutes until the fesenjan sauce turns deep brown and clings to a spoon.

Fry Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high 60 seconds. Add sliced onion and fry 6 minutes turning often, until deep mahogany and crisp. Drain on paper towels and salt lightly. In the same pan with 1 tbsp residual oil, add koshari garlic, tomato, tomato paste, cumin, red pepper flakes, and remaining 0.5 tsp salt over medium 90 seconds. Pour in 120ml water and vinegar and simmer 4 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Plate Layer lentils, rice, and macaroni in a wide bowl. Lay seared mushroom steaks on top. Spoon koshari tomato-vinegar sauce across half the bowl. Spoon fesenjan walnut-pomegranate sauce across the other half. Scatter crispy fried onions generously, pomegranate seeds, and parsley across the top. Drizzle remaining 1 tbsp olive oil for gloss.