The most important part of this lentil and mint salad is getting the lentils right. Like well-cooked rice, properly cooked lentils are delicious before you add much else. They should be tender but still hold their shape, ready to take on a dressing of olive oil, lemon and fresh mint.
This recipe serves six as an appetizer. Garlic and whole mint sprigs flavor the lentils while they cook; finely chopped mint goes in at the end with crushed dried red chili, sea salt and black pepper. Serve it warm rather than piping hot.
How to keep the lentils from turning mushy
Rinse the dry green lentils well and measure the cooking water by volume: use three parts cold water to one part lentils. Simmer gently under a lid for 20–30 minutes, checking the texture near the end. Most of the water should be gone, but do not keep cooking tender lentils just to dry out the pot. Drain any excess water, remove the garlic and mint sprigs, and return the lentils to the warm saucepan before dressing.
What to serve with lentil and mint salad
Serve with green salad leaves or baby spinach. Oven-roasted carrots, baby beets and zucchini, dressed with olive oil and lemon, make lovely companions. The salad also works alongside meat dishes or on its own as a main course; the stated six servings are appetizer portions.
Olga Kindel
Warm Lentil and Mint Salad
Warm green lentil salad with fresh mint, garlic, lemon, olive oil and dried red chili. Serves 6 as an appetizer.
300 g (10.6 oz; about 1 1/2 cups) dry green lentils, thoroughly rinsed
Cold water, three times the volume of the dry lentils
6 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint, plus a few whole sprigs
1 dried red chili
3 large garlic cloves, peeled
4 tbsp olive oil (60 mL)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
Rinse the lentils. Rinse the green lentils thoroughly under cold running water and place them in a small, heavy saucepan.
Add garlic and water. Add the peeled garlic cloves and cold water equal to three times the volume of the dry lentils. Bring to a boil.
Simmer with mint. Add a few whole mint sprigs, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and cook for 20–30 minutes. The lentils should be tender but keep their shape, with most of the water absorbed or evaporated. Do not cook them into a purée.
Drain and remove the aromatics. If any water remains once the lentils are tender, drain it. Remove the garlic cloves and mint sprigs, then return the lentils to the warm saucepan.
Dress the salad. Crush the dried red chili in a mortar. Add it to the lentils with the olive oil, lemon juice and finely chopped mint. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then mix gently and taste.
Serve warm. Let the salad cool slightly so it is warm rather than hot. Serve as an appetizer with green salad leaves or baby spinach, or with oven-roasted carrots, baby beets or zucchini dressed with olive oil and lemon. It also pairs well with meat dishes or can be served on its own as a main dish.
