Indian Spiced Rice & Lentil Salad

Last year, I discovered that rice salad was an amazingly wonderful thing. It's replaced pasta salad as my favorite binge-on-at-barbecues-until-the-shame-kicks-in dish. Actually, being perfectly honest, shame doesn't even stop me most of the time. I will eat rice salad until I can't physically get up to get more. You think I'm exaggerating, don't you?

It all started with Thai Cashew Coconut Rice with Ginger Peanut Dressing. I made it, I loved it, and I had to have it in my regular rotation ever since. But somewhere along the line, I started to wonder about trying out different flavors and going in a new direction. I have hashed over ideas for almost every cultural combination you could imagine, but there was one that I literally dreamed about up until the day I made it happen. Which was it? Indian Spiced Rice & Lentil Salad.

This rice salad shows off toasted almonds, golden raisins, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, garlic, ginger, jalapeno, mint, and cilantro, with garam masala and cumin-flavored rice and lentils, and a lemony yogurt drizzle. If anyone ever thought rice was boring, they definitely haven't tried this. I mean, we're talking wah-wah-waaaaoooww in the flavor department.

And while the list of ingredients is a bit long, it's really not very difficult to make. A little chopping, some sauteing, a bit of boiling, and quick toss is all it takes for you to get Indian Spiced Rice & Lentil Salad for yourself. You can share it with people, I guess, but you won't want to.

Make it for your next get-together-- actually, scratch that. Make it for dinner tonight. You'll be glad you didn't wait. Take a photo of your creation and tag #hostthetoast on Instagram or Twitter to show it off!

Indian Spiced Rice & Lentil Salad

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• Author: Morgan
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6 servings 1x

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Description

Adapted from Epicurious

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cups basmati rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ red onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 1 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, minced
• 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
• 4 ⅓ cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 small cucumber, chopped
• 1 handful mint leaves
• 1 handful cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅓ cup yogurt

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Instructions

1. In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, toast the almonds. Once they begin to brown and become fragrant, remove them from the pan and set aside.
2. Add in the oil and saute the onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno until fragrant, about 1 minute. Mix in the garam masala and cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the water and stir in the salt and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add in the lentils. Cook the lentils for 5 minutes. Add in the rice and raisins and return to a boil. Boil, uncovered for 5 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 8 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato, cucumber, and reserved toasted almonds. Mix in the mint leaves and cilantro, reserving some to top.
5. Combine the yogurt and lemon juice and drizzle over the rice salad. Garnish with the remaining herb leaves. Serve at room temperature.

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins