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Spiced lentil, puffed rice and cucumber salad

A vibrant, nourishing salad made super colourful with pomegranate seeds, red onion, cucumber nuggets and coriander. There are lentils in there for added protein, too

Ingreadient

  • 250g ready-to-eat pouch Puy lentils
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp mild curry powder
  • a pinch hot chilli powder
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 50g puffed rice
  • ½, cut into chunks cucumber
  • a small bunch, roughly chopped coriander
  • ½ a small bunch, leaves picked and torn mint
  • 1 small, finely chopped red onion
  • 100-110g pomegranate seeds
  • 150ml, to serve natural yogurt
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 2 tsp soft light brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ginger paste or fresh grated ginger
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil or rapeseed oil

Direction

    1. Heat the lentil pouch following pack instructions. Spread over a platter to cool a little, and fluff-up with a fork.
    2. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for a minute or two or until fragrant, then tip into a medium bowl. Add all of the dressing ingredients with some seasoning and whisk everything together.
    3. Put the curry and chilli powder in the dry frying pan, toast for 10 seconds, then add the oil and puffed rice. Cook over a lowmedium heat until the rice is covered in the spices and lightly toasted. Cool on a plate.
    4. Stir the dressing through the lentils, then fold through the cucumber chunks with the herbs, most of the red onion and most of the pomegranate seeds. Just before you eat, toss through the spiced puffed rice. Scatter the remaining onion and pomegranate seeds over the top, and eat with drizzles of yogurt.