1. heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small saucepan
over medium heat. add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until
they become very soft and begin to turn brown-about 10 minutes; push onions to one side and add the cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. add
the lentils, rice, and water. cover and cook 40 minutes
or until all of the water has been absorbed and the rice and lentils are
both fully cooked. remove from heat and let cool slightly. season to
taste with pepper.
3. meanwhile, make the garlic-lemon
sauce. sprinkle the salt over the garlic and use the side of a large
knife to mash the two together to form a thick paste. add this paste to a
small dish, along with the lemon juice. stir together to combine. whisk
in the remaining olive oil.
4. to serve, spoon the lentil mixture
onto a pita. fold the bread in half over the lentils, using your fingers
to press the filling into a compact form (it will be sticky enough to
hold together if you apply a little pressure - this will help prevent it
from falling out of the pita as you eat it). spoon the sauce over the
lentils or serve on the side for dipping.