Each year leading up to Lent I reflect on these three words—pray, fasting and almsgiving— and I as myself; how am I going to give of myself to this? Some years it feels overwhelming and other years I embrace it. When we are young, we are taught the principles—give up your favourite treat, be kind to each other especially those less fortunate and try and pray more. As my faith matured, the Lenten season has become a time of reflection of myself; where I am emotionally, physically and where my relationship with God is. During this process these three words serve a greater purpose as you truly bring yourself into being one with your mind, body and soul.
It really is challenging to keep all three principles alive during Lent, and when speaking with family and friends fasting is always the topic of conversation. How to fast, what food to abstain from, when to eat. My family and friends all fast differently, little wonder as we all come from different cultures. My own family, Maronite Catholic, choose a diet that abstains from meat and dairy. My brother George impresses me the most each year a devoted carnivore, he never waivers and abstains with profound humility. Guidance from the Catholic Church regarding abstinence is not to eat meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and all Fridays during Lent. Whichever way you choose to enter this holiest of seasons, remember St Teresa of Calcutta’s (Mother Teresa) words, “God doesn’t require us to succeed, he only requires that you try.”
I confess at the beginning of lent I am so motivated planning the different meals to make, but towards the end I run out of steam and inspiration! My mum cooks up the most delicious vegetarian dishes and being Lebanese we have so many to choose from. Two main dishes I hold dear are falafel and silverbeet and lentil soup.
One of my absolute favourite childhood Easter memories is our first family holiday when we boarded a train at Central Station Sydney in the wee hours of the morning headed to Melbourne to visit my favourite cousin in the whole wide world, Therese. Boarding the train with my strawberry shortcake colouring in book and my favourite novel I am David, the sheer excitement overwhelmed my commitment to colouring in and reading.
When we arrived, my late, beautiful, larger than life Aunty Berna greeted us with arms that swung so wide they embraced all four of us kids as she kissed all our cheeks simultaneously. There waiting for us was a big bowl of Silverbeet and Lentil soup and I can still hear my mum whispering in my ear “look Aunty Berna made the same soup as me that you love with lemon.” So here is the recipe made by two women who I absolutely adore, love and respect so much, I hope I do them justice.
Recipe
1 cup small brown lentils (washed)
1 large diced brown onion
4-5 silverbeet leaves (stems removed, washed and chopped)
3 – 4 cups of water
1.5 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses (or optional ½ small lemon squeezed)
4 tablespoons of Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste
- Heat EVVO to a medium size pot, add diced onion and sauté until just golden
- Add lentils stir and ensure well coated with onion and EVVO, then add 3 cups of water, bring to the boil and add the lid, reduce heat to medium-low, you may need to add extra water (Add extra water if necessary but be careful not to make it watery. You can always add extra liquid. You want a nice consistency, not too thick)
- Once lentils have softened (to your desired texture), season with salt and pepper to taste, then add silverbeet and pomegranate molasses, stir and cook for only for a couple of minutes. You want the silverbeet to remain green and not disintegrate.
- Turn off the heat and remove the pot.
- Serve warm with a good baguette (flavour enhances when rested), but its up to you.
Most Lebanese add lemon, you can do both again to your desired taste how lemony you would like the dish to taste, there are no hard fast rules, I prefer to add pomegranate molasses.