Lentil and Mango Salad

Chetna Makan wants to 'help you feel more confident using veg, and become a little more experimental with pulses.' This summery lentil, mango, and cucumber salad, enlivened with spices, is a great start. Photo by Nassima Rothacker

Lentil and Mango Salad

You might wonder what lentils are doing in a salad with mangoes, but let me tell you that I was just as surprised when I tried this at Jayashree’s house. She often makes it in the summer, when mangoes are in season, and it’s quickly become one of my favorites, too. Don’t worry if you can’t find Indian green mangoes—you can use ordinary hard, unripe mangoes from the supermarket instead.

Serves 4

For the Salad

• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) split mung beans (split moong dal)
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 raw green or unripe mango, peeled and finely chopped

For the Tadka

• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Soak the mung beans in a bowl of cold water for 3 to 4 hours, then drain thoroughly. Return to the bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients.

To make the tadka, heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they start to sizzle, remove the pan from the heat and add the chili flakes and salt. Pour this over the salad.

Drizzle the salad with the lemon juice, toss it all well, and serve.

This will last in the fridge for a couple of days.

Recipe reprinted with permission from “Chetna’s Healthy Indian Vegetarian: Everyday Veg and Vegan Feasts Effortlessly Good for You” by Chetna Makan. Published by Mitchell Beazley.