Spiced Lentil Salad with Beets and Pistachios
This Spiced Lentil Salad with Beets and Pistachios is serious business. As in seriously good business. It is healthy, protein rich and nutri dense and made with everyday staples. The lentils are a mixture of yellow moong and red masoor lentils. The cook in the instant pot while the rest of the salad gets done. I have been on a warm salad kick lately. Like this warm carrot salad. The secret to getting just the right lentil texture is using the rice mode in the instant pot. At least that is how I did it.
Spiced Lentil Salad with Beets and Pistachios
The inspiration for this salad was two rather disappointing salads that I ate, while in Phoenix, AZ. One of these being a lentil salad. I have a mini-obsession with lentils. They have so much potential. Using them to make a lack luster salad seemed unfair. I felt like I needed to correct this injustice right away. At least in my neck of the woods. And this experiment is simple, the results are quite magical. I suddenly find myself with lots of odds and ends of stuff. Including lentils. So next up, I will try to cook down some of my simple things.
So what you need here are a handful of spices, beets, pistachios, lemon/lime and cilantro. This gorgeous salad uses about 1 tablespoon of oil. For the tarka or tempering of spices to make the lentils. As for the beets, you can make them as a PIP. Or use pre-cooked beets, if you have some that you are dying to use up.
Additional ingredients can be a handful of cranberries. My version today is simple. I have a feeling that this has potential for a lot of customization. Crumbled feta, maybe a poached egg on top. You get the idea. Crushed red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
The lentils use the spice profile for my Dal Tarka from the Instant Indian cookbook. Which is also a great idea. But for today, let us stick to this salad. Which can be enjoyed warm, cold, or at room temperature. It needs maybe 10 minutes of hands-on time.
Another pistachio recipe meshing vegetables is the pistachio and broccoli pesto.
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A warm and cozy well-seasoned lentil salad with Indian spices and beets.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil (such as olive oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 to 4 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh turmeric or 1 teaspoon powdered
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3/4 cup moong lentils or a mixture of mung and red lentils
- 2 medium sized beets
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon black salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup pistachios (unsalted) (chopped)
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Turn the instant pot onto sauté mode. Add in the oil and heat.
- Add in the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop. Add in the cumin seeds, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, salt and turmeric.
- Add in the lentils and stir well. Turn off the heat. add in 3/4 cup of water.
- Place a trivet and add a container with enough water to cover the beets. Cover and set to rice mode and let it cook and do a natural release.
- Remove the cover. Remove the beets, rinse in cold water, peel and dice.
- Place in a mixing bowl.
- Fluff the lentils and mix into the beets.
- In a small bowl juice the lemon. Stir in the salt and red pepper flakes. Drizzle over the beet and lentil mixture.
- Top with the pistachios and cilantro.
- Enjoy warm
Notes
For stove top Cook the lentils in a heavy bottomed pot with 1 and 1/2 cups water for 25 minutes. Cook the beets separately. Proceed with the rest of the recipe.