Sweet + Spicy Curry Lentil Salad
This salad is a winner in the wilderness as well as at fancy dinner parties. Kick up the spice or tone it down based on your preferences.
Adapted from My New Roots
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups green lentils
1 red onion, diced
1 cup raisins, diced to lentil-size
4 tbsp capers
1 cup carrots, shredded (use a food processor attachment or a manual grater)
Vinaigrette ingredients:
6 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cardamom
¼ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
Directions:
Put the lentils in a saucepan and cover with about 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until tender, but still with a bit of bite (10-15 minutes).
Meanwhile, combine all the vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and give it a good shake.
Once cooked, drain the lentils and rinse with cold water to stop them from overcooking. In a large bowl, combine lentils with onion, raisins, capers, carrots, and vinaigrette. Stir together.
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Make it camp-friendly:
Prep the onion, raisins, and carrots at home ahead of time; prepare the vinaigrette at home. Cook lentils at your campsite and mix ingredients together.
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Make it backpacking food:
Cut pieces of parchment paper to fit your dehydrator trays. Spread the lentils in thin, even layers on the parchment paper. Dehydrate at 125F for 4 hours or until all the moisture is gone and lentils are completely dry to the touch. Package in airtight, single serving size bags.
At your campsite, add just enough cold water to cover the lentils. Let sit for at least 1 hour to rehydrate.