Acacia's World Famous Syrian Pouches
The Farahs were friends of my parents when I was a child. They lived nearby in our small New Hampshire town and my mother often shared recipes with Mrs. Farah. They are of Lebanese descent and the father was born on the street called Straight in Damascus, Syria. The lentil and rice mixture in this meal is a family recipe from them. My mother had the idea to put it all together in pita bread pockets and top it like tacos. I love this meal and hope you will too.
Lentils and rice mixture:
1/2 c. dry lentils
1/2 c. dry rice (jasmine and basmati have the best flavors)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. butter
I Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small lemon, squeezed
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the lentils and rice separately according to package directions. Slice the onion and brown in the butter. Lower the heat to simmer or low and add the cooked lentils and rice, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir and let sit on low heat while you prepare the pita and toppings.
Toppings:
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Grated cheddar cheese
Dressing to drizzle over the filling (oil and vinegar is best as is runs down through all the ingredients, but Italian dressing works fine too)
Cut the pita bread in half so it will open like a pouch. Warm them in the oven before serving. Place the lentils and rice mixture in the bottom, then the cheese and the other toppings next. If the pouch tears when you are opening it, it helps to place the lettuce in the bottom so you don’t lose the filling when you eat.
I serve this with the warmed bread wrapped in linens, a pot of the lentils and rice mixture, all the toppings in separate bowls, and let my dinner guests prepare their own Syrian Pouches at the table.
Serves about 6 people.
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Recipe
1/2 c. dry lentils
1/2 c. dry rice (jasmine and basmati have the best flavors)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 c. butter
I Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 small lemon, squeezed
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the lentils and rice separately according to package directions. Slice the onion and brown in the butter. Lower the heat to simmer or low and add the cooked lentils and rice, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir and let sit on low heat while you prepare the pita and toppings.
Toppings:
Shredded lettuce
Diced tomatoes
Grated cheddar cheese
Dressing to drizzle over the filling (oil and vinegar is best as is runs down through all the ingredients, but Italian dressing works fine too)
Cut the pita bread in half so it will open like a pouch. Warm them in the oven before serving. Place the lentils and rice mixture in the bottom, then the cheese and the other toppings next. If the pouch tears when you are opening it, it helps to place the lettuce in the bottom so you don’t lose the filling when you eat.
I serve this with the warmed bread wrapped in linens, a pot of the lentils and rice mixture, all the toppings in separate bowls, and let my dinner guests prepare their own Syrian Pouches at the table.
Serves about 6 people.
