Red Lentil Salad

I've adapted this salad from a Two Good CookBook recipe by Belinda Jeffrey and it's really yummy.

You'll need:

• 1 cup olive oil (it seems like a lot but it absorbs very well)
• 70 mL red wine vinegar – white is also fine
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder (I used Keens brand)
• 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder (I used Keens brand)
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups dried red split lentils
• 140 grams dried currants
• ⅓ cup capers, drained
• ½ cup flat leaf parsley, if desired
• 1 red onion, finely sliced, if desired

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, mustard powder, curry powder, nutmeg and cinnamon.

You can wash the lentils if you like (I never do). Add them to the boiling water and stir well. Boil for only a couple of minutes until they are cooked or just have a bit of bite. I never leave the stovetop as they always overcook and turn into mush.

When cooked, drain and pour into the dressing mixture. Stir well. At this stage you can add the parsley and red onion if desired. It will seem like too much dressing at first, but it will be absorbed by the lentils.

This will last in the fridge for around a week. I usually have a couple of tablespoons with each meal while it lasts. The picture has endive added to it — I didn't use it, but you can, or add some lettuce.

Gut benefits

Olive oil is a great polyphenol, as are red onions. Lentils and red onions are prebiotic foods. This salad will add to the diversity in your diet, which is essential for good microbiome health.