Spring Lentil Salad (Vegan)

Name: Spring Lentil Salad (Vegan)
Total time: 1800 s
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup dry raw green lentils; 2 medium sized tomatoes cubed; 4-5 shallots chopped coarsely; 1 large cucumber diced; 1 apple (I used red apples); Few sprigs of mint; 2 tbsps finely chopped mint; 2 tsps freshly squeezed lemon juice; Few walnuts (as per your liking); Dry chia seeds for garnish; 2 medium sized potatoes par boiled and unpeeled; 3 cups stock (any flavor); 2 tsps sweet paprika powder; 2 garlic cloves; Some olive oil; Salt as per taste; 3 tbsps good quality Balsamic vinegar; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp dijon mustard

A CookYogi in Paris🇫🇷 @acookyogiinparis

Born and raised in India, I was used to eating hot Dahl soups despite the warm weather for the better part of the year. I haven't been to a household in India where Dahl isn't cooked at least once a day.
Living in France made me discover a brand new way of cooking lentils. I was sceptical about it for a long time, but it made it's way to my heart.
The sun in Europe inspired me to create my own salad but with at least one warm ingredient: the crunchy baked potato! And I call it My Favorite Spring Salad.

A CookYogi in Paris🇫🇷 @acookyogiinparis

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Ingredients

30 mins

3 servings

1 cupdry raw green lentils
2medium sized tomatoes cubed
4-5shallots chopped coarsely
1large cucumber diced
1apple (I used red apples)
Few sprigs of mint
2 tbspsfinely chopped mint
2tsps freshly squeezed lemon juice
Few walnuts (as per your liking)
Dry chia seeds for garnish
2medium sized potatoes par boiled and unpeeled
3 cupsstock (any flavor)
2tsps sweet paprika powder
2garlic cloves
Some olive oil
Salt as per taste
For the sauce
3 tbspsgood quality Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsphoney
1 tbspdijon mustard

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Steps

30 mins

1

Preheat the oven to 250°C
2

While the oven is being preheated, add lentils and stock of your choice on a casserole and cook it for at least 13 mins. Depending on your lentils, you would have to keep a watch. The goal is to cook the lentils al dente. Some lentils like whole moong might take as long as 20 mins until al dente.
3

Meanwhile, in an oven tray, place your unpeeled parboiled potatoes. Sprinkle some salt and paprika. Add roughly crushed garlic, a dash of olive oil and give it a nice mix with your hands. Put the potatoes in the oven and let them bake for at least 15 mins.
4

While the potatoes are getting baked, you can work on the other ingredients. Take the cubed apples and sprinkle some lemon juice on them and keep them aside in the fridge for at least 5 mins.
5

Once the lentils are cooked, strain out the water and leave them out to cool. Once they are nicely cooked down and dried up, throw in all the chopped vegetables and apples. Give it a nice gentle toss and keep your salad bowl in the fridge.
6

Take out the potatoes from the oven. Squish them lightly so that they break a little. Throw in a dash of balsamic vinegar and put them back for another 15 mins. You want to cook them until they become crunchy and golden.
7

For the sauce, mix all the ingredients together and voila!
8

Once your potatoes are baked. It's time to start plating! Toss your salad in a bowl, garnish with chia seeds and nuts. Add the baked potatoes and some mint leaves. Sprinkle some sauce and you won't regret it!