Split Gram Garden Salad with Mustard-Lime Vinaigrette

Name: Split Gram Garden Salad with Mustard-Lime Vinaigrette
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 17 min
Total time: 22 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 Cup Split Gram Lentil (Chana Dal), uncooked, cooking instructions below; 2 Lime, 1 and half for juice and rest for garnish; 4-5 tbsp Cilantro, fine chopped; 1 tbsp Mustard Seeds; 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil; 1/4 tsp Red Pepper Powder; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half or quarter for big ones; 1 Cucumber, peeled and diced; 1 Radish, 1 bunch rainbow radish diced bitesize

Spiced Chana Dal and Garden Veggie Salad

Posted By Savita

Salads Dinner Parties Ingredient Spotlight

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Chana Dal Or Bengal Split Gram Lentil is one of my favorite among wide variety of lentils cooked and eaten in India. Its texture and capability to hold its shape when cooked, makes it - a dal of choice, for salads and cold sides. Also, dried Split Gram Lentils are high in protein and low in fat, containing only one gram of fat per serving. Above all, its gluten free and vegan.

You can find Split Gram Dal easily in stores like Sprouts Farmer's Market or Whole Foods in wholesale produce section. Indian markets also carry a wide variety of lentils including Split Gram, called chana dal.

If you trying Split Gram first time, I recommend buying it from wholesale section of wholefoods or sprouts. I do that whenever I try a new lentil. This way, I can save some money and if I like lentils, I will buy more. But if I don't like, it will not hold space in my pantry and no money wastage either!! Once you like it, I recommend keeping 1-2 pounds of lentils in pantry to make quick protein rich, meatless sides whenever you want to.

This salad's star ingredient, Bengal Gram Split tastes excellent with spices and lime. This salad will be filling lunch salad if you like or you can serve it on the side for dinner. I have used fresh tomatoes, cucumber and radish because all crunchy and mild sweet fresh vegetables go well with masala split grams. You can also add shallots, bell pepper, green apple or even some spring mix to make this salad your own.

For lunch salad on weekdays, try cooking lentils and make vinaigrette at night. In morning just grab and chop your fresh veggies and add lentils. Your filling, protein-rich, gluten-free, vegan lunch salad is ready to rock your healthy world. And I promise there will be no evening snack cravings!!

Split Gram Garden Salad with Mustard-Lime Vinaigrette

Total Time: 22 mins Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 17 mins

Cuisine: Indian Category: Salad Difficulty: Easy

Yields: 4 Servings Serves: 4

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Ingredients

1 Cup Split Gram Lentil (Chana Dal) (uncooked, cooking instructions below)
2 Lime (1 and half for juice and rest for garnish)
4-5 tbsp Cilantro (fine chopped)
1 tbsp Mustard Seeds
1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Cup Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half or quarter for big ones)
1 Cucumber (peeled and diced)
1 Radish (1 bunch rainbow radish diced bitesize)

Directions

1. Cook Daal - Boil split gram daal (also known as chana daal or black chickpea daal) in 2 cups of water and 1/2 tsp salt till its bite tender but not mushy (12-15 minutes)
2. Make Vinaigrette - Heat oil in a small pan. When oil is very hot, add mustard seeds, cover and switch-off heat. Mustard seeds will turn black. When sputtering stops, add red pepper powder and let it cool down. In a bowl, add juice of 1 and half lime (reserve remaining half lime for garnish), mix in mustard seeds. combine well and season with salt and keep aside.
3. Assemble - On serving platter, arrange diced cucumber, tomatoes and radish. Place cooked split gram daal on the side or over the veggies (per your liking). Top daal with mustard lime vinaigrette and chopped cilantro. Garnish with lime wedges. Serve and enjoy!!

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