Curry Lime Lentil Salad

Yikes! I just realized I was in danger of getting to the end of July without talking to you about anything new. I’ve been doing a lot of tossing fresh things together to make some pretty good dishes, but it’s been hard to quantify ingredients and turn things into recipes. Until I get some time to figure out how to narrate such things, I’ll tell you about a simple salad about which I actually wrote down some facts while I was working.

This was based on a really great looking recipe in Annie Somerville’s Fieldsof Greens, which has been around for a while, but has still been sadly under-explored by this particular home cook. Anyway, I didn’t have everything I needed to make this salad as published, and I had some other things that were more convenient (such as a commercial curry powder blend instead of a custom blend of spices).

This salad may be a bit homely to look at, but it’s packed with zesty flavor. I made mine a bit spicy with ¼ teaspoon of cayenne, but you can add or subtract making it as intense as you like. I loved the cooling yogurt and lime against the curry and cayenne, and, since the lentils are small, there was plenty of room for the dressing to coat them. I used a full-fat plain yogurt, but I think a reduced fat version might be okay too.

My own improvisation of this salad based on what was in my pantry and refrigerator is proof that there’s a lot of wiggle room when it comes to adding vegetables. Finely diced bell peppers would be great. Cucumbers might be good, too, as would green onions or chives. I even think that if you don’t groove on curry, you could come up with your own spice or herb combinations to suit your taste and make something great.

Lentil Salad with Curry Lime Yogurt Dressing

Based on a recipe in Fields of Greens by Annie Somerville

I used small green lentils to make this salad, which I recommend because they keep their shape well when cooked.

1 ½ cup dry lentils

1 medium-size carrot, peeled and shredded

½ cup finely chopped onion

¾ cup plain yogurt

Juice and zest of 1 medium-size lime

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 ½ teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Place the lentils in a saucepan and cover generously with cold water. Bring to a boil. Simmer until the lentils are tender. Drain and place the lentils in a large bowl and cool.

2. Add the carrot and onion to the lentils.

3. To make the dressing, combined the yogurt, lime juice and zest, salt, curry powder, and cayenne. Stir together.

4. Stir the dressing into the lentil mixture. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Another recipe like this one: Curry Chutney Egg Salad

One year ago: Gumdrop Cookies