8-Spice Lentil Salad

by MyNewRoots (see original here) | Serves 4

Ingredients

SALAD

• 2 ¼ cups (450g) Du Puy/Beluga/green lentils
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup capers (optional)
• 200g feta, crumbled (optional)
• Arugula (optional)
• Walnuts (optional)

DRESSING

• 1/3 cup cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. strong mustard
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

Method

1. Rinse lentils well, drain. Place in a pot and cover with a 3-4 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer. Cook lentils until al dente (do not overcook!): Check lentils for doneness after 15 minutes, but they should take about 20 minutes.

2. While the lentils are simmering, make the dressing by placing all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake vigorously to combine.

3. Finely dice red onion – the salad is best if all the ingredients are about the same size. If using dried cranberries, chop them roughly to make them a bit smaller, and do the same with the capers if they are large.

4. When the lentils are cooked, remove from heat, drain and place under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Let them cool slightly.

5. Place lentils in a large serving bowl and toss with dressing. Add other onion, capers, cranberries, and feta. If using other add-ins such as arugula, wait until just before serving.