Curried Lentil Salad

Ingredients-

For the curried lentils-

• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• 8 fresh curry leaves
• 1 dried red chili pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon asafetida powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 ½ cups cooked masoor/ lentils Lentils cooked in IP ( see the detailed note below)
• Salt to taste
• Juice of ½ lime

Add to the salad-

• 1 small each, radish, and multi colored beet, peeled, and cut into thin slices 
• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut in cubes
• 1 small red onion, minced
• A handful of baby spinach leaves

To make the Curried Lentil Salad-

1. In a saute pan, heat the coconut oil on medium heat. Reduce heat to low, add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds. When they start to sizzle, add the curry leaves and the dried chili pepper. Stir for a minute or so and add the asafetida and turmeric powders. You will see the asafetida powder ‘bloom’ in about 30 seconds.
2. Then add the cooked lentils, salt and lime juice and toss well to coat for about a minute.
3. Remove from heat and let cool. The lentils can also be made ahead of time.
4. Peel and thinly slice the multi colored beets and the radish using a knife or a mandoline. Drop them in iced water for about 10 minutes. Drain.
5. Meanwhile, peel, pit and cut the mango into cubes.
6. Toss the lentils with the mango cubes, diced red onion, baby spinach,and the drained beets and radish slices.
7. Serve.

Note– To prepare the lentils- I pick, wash and soak them overnight. The next day I drain them, add a pinch of salt and cook them in a colander in the Instant Pot on ‘Bean’ setting. I cook a batch of them and after they are cool, I freeze the leftover lentils in portion sizes for future use.