Recipe: Tahini Cilantro Lentil Salad

One of my favourite foods is lentils. High in protein and fibre, cheap, and easy to prepare, they fit well into residency life. When I spotted a prepared lentil salad last weekend at the grocery store deli, I figured I'd have to add something similar to my lentil recipe rotation. A little Googling led me to Sue's Crushed Lentils with Tahini and Cumin recipe, which looked amazingly delicious. I think Sue intended this recipe to be served warm, but I adapted it for what I had on hand to create a cold salad. Here's what I used:

• 2 cups uncooked lentils (mine were orange; any kind will do)
• 1 tomato (cubed)
• 2 carrots (peeled, cubed, microwaved for 2 min to steam)
• 1 cup cilantro leaves (chopped)
• scant sprinkles of garlic and onion powder (or fresh garlic and red onion if you have them)
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup tahini (depending on how much you like tahini)
• sriracha (to taste)
• lemon juice (to taste)

I washed the lentils, covered them with ~1 inch of water, brought to a boil, then simmered for around 30 minutes, until the lentils were just cooked and not yet mushy (watch them closely!). I drained the lentils, chilled them, and stirred in the rest of the ingredients.

I've been eating this salad for a few days now -- straight up, with potatoes, and with rice. The cilantro gives it a really nice fragrance and kick, while the tahini lends a delicious savoury creaminess. I love the texture and starchy comfort-food quality of the lentils. Altogether it's a great dish -- tasty, healthy, and maybe even potluck-presentable.