Ingredients
Serves 4
Cook the Lentils (can be done in advance)
- 1 cup black lentils (beluga)
- Kosher Salt
Make the Tahini Sauce (Base Layer)
- 3 tbsp tahini (prefer SoCo Tahini)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water (or more to thin)
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- Salt to taste
Prepare the Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Lentils
- cooked black lentils (from step 1)
- 1½ cups assorted tomatoes, halved horizontally.
- 1 cucumber
- 1½ tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower, grapeseed, or avocado)
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dress the Spinach (Garnish)
- 1 cup root spinach leaves, stems removed
- a drizzle of neutral oil (sunflower, grapeseed, or avocado)
- a few drops of lemon juice
- pinch of kosher salt
Make the Garlic Tarka (Last-Minute Finishing Oil)
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (sunflower, grapeseed, or avocado)
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 6–8 fresh curry leaves (optional but add great aromatic)
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp dry Aleppo style red chili flake
Directions
Cook the Lentils (can be done in advance)
Rinse and cook lentils in salted water until just tender but not mushy (15–20 minutes). Drain and cool completely.
Make the Tahini Sauce (Base Layer)
Whisk all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Adjust with water for a spoonable consistency. Cover and set aside.
Prepare the Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Lentils
In a bowl, gently combine lentils, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Toss with lemon juice, honey, oil, salt, and pepper. Let marinate 10–15 minutes at room temperature.
Dress the Spinach (Garnish)
Lightly dress the spinach and set aside. This will be added delicately to the composed salad.
Make the Garlic Tarka (Last-Minute Finishing Oil)
Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, sliced garlic, and chili. Let sizzle 30–45 seconds until garlic turns golden and aromatic. Remove from heat and use immediately. Shake the pan occasionally to keep the ingredients moving in the oil.
Assemble the Composed Salad
Spoon a generous layer of tahini sauce onto each serving plate.
Neatly layer the marinated lentils, tomatoes, and cucumbers over the tahini.
Tuck in a few dressed spinach leaves around the salad for color and freshness.
Finish with a warm drizzle of garlic tarka just before serving, like finishing oil.
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