Lentil Salad With Spices, Capers and Raisins

The Best Lentil Salad Ever

This salad recipe lives up to its name. The reason is because of the interesting combination of spices. There are lots, so if you don’t already have the spices in your pantry, this may not be a recipe for you.

Another fun aspect of the recipe is the capers and dried raisins. It makes a lot, so be prepared to give some away to your friends or neighbours.

The Best Lentil Salad Ever

This recipe is from a cookbook my vegan friend recommended, "My New Roots" by Sarah Bitton.

Her recipe, ”Best Lentil Salad Ever” caught my attention because of the name. To my surprise, it did live up to its name. I’ve included it below – I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing it with a few of my friends!

Serves 8

2 1/4 cups (1 pound) green or brown lentils (not split peas)
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 cup dried dark raisins, chopped
1/3 cup drained capers

Dressing:

1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons sea salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (I buy the nut and grate it when needed)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Rinse your lentils and put them in a big pot. Cover with three to four inches of water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer about 20 minutes.

Combine the oil, vinegar, syrup and Dijon together in a small jar and then add all the spices. Shake well.

Finely dice the red onion, chop the raisins and chop the capers.

When the lentils are cooked, remove them and drain under cold water. Once they are slightly cooled, put them in a big bowl and add the dressing, onions, raisins and capers. Toss well and enjoy for up to three days.