Vegan

Laura Theodore’s French Lentil Salad Bowl with Sweet Peppers and Basil

https://www.chicvegan.com/laura-theodores-french-lentil-salad-bowl-with-sweet-peppers-and-basil/

January 23, 2019 By Dianne Leave a Comment

Lentils provide a substantial base and plenty of plant-based protein, while the veggies and flavorings add zing to this satisfying French Lentil Salad Bowl with Sweet Peppers and Basil. I love to serve this inviting dish as the main event for a casual luncheon or light supper, served with crusty whole grain bread or crackers on the side.

French Lentil Salad Bowl with Sweet Peppers and Basil

Lentils provide a substantial base and plenty of plant-based protein, while the veggies and flavorings add zing to this satisfying salad. I love to serve this inviting dish as the main event for a casual luncheon or light supper, served with crusty whole grain bread or crackers on the side.

Author: Laura Theodore

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

SALAD

4 cups cooked French green lentils, well chilled (note)
⅔ cup diced sweet onion
1 medium red sweet bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
½ cup chopped fresh basil

DRESSING

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl and gently stir to combine. Put all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over salad and gently stir to combine. Spoon into bowls and serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours and served cold.

Notes

Chef’s Note: Lentils don’t need to be presoaked, but make sure to check for small stones before preparing, and be certain to rinse them well. To cook the lentils, put 4 cups water with 2 cups lentils into a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Decrease the heat to low, cover and cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding more water if the pan becomes dry. The lentils are done when they are soft (they do not need to absorb all of the water). Drain off any excess water in a fine meshed strainer.

3.5.3226

About Dianne

Dianne Wenz is the Editor-In-Chief for Chic Vegan. She is a Holistic Health Counselor, Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Plant-Based Nutrition Specialist. Dianne coaches people from across the country to help them improve their health and wellbeing, and she helps people make the dietary and lifestyle changes needed to go vegan. Dianne lives in New Jersey, where she runs the busy MeetUp group Montclair Vegans. Through the group she hosts monthly potlucks, runs charity bake sales and organizers guest speaker events. An avid cook and baker, Dianne also teaches cooking classes to local clients. In addition to food and nutrition, Dianne loves crafts and cats. To learn more, visit Dianne’s website and blog at Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen

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Vegan

Tofu Kondattam (South Indian Spicy Crispy Tofu)

Tofu Kondattam, a South Indian crispy spicy tofu is a fantastic side or appetizer! Tofu is crisped with spices then tossed in a thick sauce of aromatics, four types of chilies – Kashmiri chili powder, pepper, red and green chilies, curry leaves and Garam masala! Try this regional Indian recipe.

tofu kondattam in the pan after cooking and adding garnishes

I love this spicy crispy kondattam. This southern Indian spicy dish usually has chicken is marinated and then fried. I’ve made a version before, see my crispy Soy Curls Kondattam. For this version, I make it saucier and use tofu that is marinated and baked to get it nice and crisp without. Then, we make the sauce and toss all of that together for this amazingly flavorful dish that you can serve as a starter, side or as an entree.

Chicken kondattam is a spicy dish from the southern Indian state of Kerala. Traditionally, for this dish, chicken is marinated in a fiery red marinade and then fried to crisp. Then it is tossed with thick sauce of dried chilies, curry leaves, ground spices, and Kashmiri chili powder.

Tofu kondattam is really hot with four types of chilis bringing the heat: Kashmiri chili powder, black pepper, dried red chilis and green chilies! If you want it to be less hot, you can reduce the amount of dried red and the green chilies or choose milder versions. You can cut down on the black pepper and Kashmiri chili powder, as well. The color will change a bit, because the Kashmiri chili powder adds a lot of color to the dish, but there’ll still be plenty of flavor, even if you need to cut it a little bit.

This dish definitely tastes the best if you use real Kashmiri chili powder, because the chilies have a specific flavor profile. It will work with paprika instead, but for the real deal, get some Kashmiri chili powder.