Hope all of you had a lovely 4th of July. We took a little vacation to LA and Malibu.It was our first road trip ever & could not have been more fun.We spent a lot of time on beaches, sun bathing, chatting and eating fresh seafood. A visit to botanical gardens and theme park rounded off the trip. All in all, LA was definitely a respite from the over the top hot weather in Vegas right now. Its 113 F/45 C as I type this 
Breaking loose from almost a perfect vacation, our car refused to behave a couple of times in the middle of Mojave desert while driving back. Being 4th of July and with everything closed, we almost reached a point when we decided to stay over in nearby town for the night. However, thanks to few God sent personnel at gas stations,we managed way back home.
I normally don’t binge during vacations,still all the outside food makes me want to eat simple, clean meals for the days that follow. I came home wanting just that. This salad is my go to recipe for those days.
Yellow Mung lentils (dal) are de skinned whole mung bean and have a very mild taste. I have grown eating them in this dryish preparation either as a side with flat breads or mixed with ghee & rice as well as salad. Since yellow mung lentils are quick to cook, this salad can be fixed in no time.Once you cook the lentils, it’s just a matter of chopping the veggies and tossing everything together with lots of lemon juice. I added a handful of ready to eat edamame beans & there it was – a hearty, protein packed salad which is so light & summery. And yup..so healthy!
Did I tell you..this is my 150th post…kinda feels good 
Lentils form a big part of indian cuisine – meals are far from complete without them – soups, fritters, flat breads, stews, patties…you will find them used in all ways imaginable. India being a vegetarian country, we get our daily protein dose from them. I cook lentils daily in some way or the other. P is more of a lentil soup person, I enjoy them either way.
I was introduced to edamame after I came to USA. I did not care for them much initially but knowing how good they are, now I try to include them in our diet as much as possible.I am still away from eating them all on their own but have found a perfect way to eat them this way – overshadowed by earthy taste of lentils & crunch of fresh vegetables – hardly making their presence felt.
There is no dressing as such in the salad. Just few squirts of fresh lemon juice, dash of salt & red pepper flakes do the trick. You can drizzle olive oil for added richness,if you like.Wrap up in a flatbread, fill a pita pocket or mix with leftover rice/quinoa, there are many ways to enjoy it.
Ingredients (Serves 3-4)
- 1/2 cup yellow mung dal, split
- 2 cups water (for soaking)
- 1 tbsp mustard oil (substitute with any oil of choice)
- 1 tsp jeera (cumin)
- 1/4 tsp hing (asafoetida)
- 1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- salt to taste
- 3- 4 tbsp water (for cooking)
For the salad
- 1/4 cup each chopped red onion,cucumber, tomatoes (use any veggies of choice in any quantity you like)
- 1/4 cup edamame (I used ready to eat, if using raw, see note in method)
- 4-5 fresh mint/cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 green chillies, finely chopped
- Red pepper flakes (to taste)
- 1.5 tbsp fresh lime/lemon juice (or to taste)
- Olive Oil (to drizzle)
- salt to adjust
Method
Cooking Lentils – Thoroughly wash the mung lentils 2-3 times under stream of water. Soak the lentils in 2 cups of water for at least 2.5 -3 hours. Once soaked, drain out the soaking liquid. Set aside.
In a medium pot with lid, heat the oil on medium. Once you see ripples on the surface of the oil, reduce the heat to low. Temper the oil with jeera & hing. Wait for 10-15 seconds till the jeera crackles & you smell the aroma of hing. Add the minced ginger & turmeric powder next & saute for another 10 seconds.
Next, add the soaked lentils and salt to taste. Stir well to coat the lentils in the tempering. Add 3 tbsp of water to the pot and cover. Let cook on low heat for 8-12 minutes till the lentils are thoroughly cooked but retain their shape. You need to check 1-2 times in between to see that the lentils are not sticking to the pot bottom, if so, add a tbsp of water. Dont peek too much while the lentils cook, the idea is so steam them slowly on low heat.
Note :- If using fresh edamame beans, add them to the pot towards the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, so that they steam with the lentils.This will ensure that they remain green & crunchy.
Once cooked, put the stove off and let the lentils sit covered for another 5-8 minutes till they cool down a bit. Fluff gently using a fork and let them cool off completely. At this point, if you want to make the salad later, you can refrigerate the lentils in air tight containers for 1-2 days.
Assembling the Salad – In a medium blog, toss the cooled lentils & edamame with the chopped vegetables, mint, cilantro & green chillies. Squirt lemon juice, add red pepper flakes, olive oil (if using) and salt to taste. Combine well and serve at room temperature.
Enjoy & Thanks for stopping by!
This recipe sounds and looks delicious! I look forward to having a go!
Definitely the kind of salad I’d eat! A wonderful and healthy combination.
Cheers,
Rosa
Congratulations on your 150th post that is a wonderful milestone
We only use these yellow lentils for soup I never thought of using them in a salad and now I can’t wait to try.
As for the edamame I have yet to find a recipe to make me like them, I hope it is this one
Congratulations on your 150th post! I am sure it must feel good:) I have a long way to go hehe
My mom used to make something similar though she would mash the mung dal a little minus the edamame for sure!:) I like edamame steamed / salted just the way they are served in japanese restaurants. When I saw the addition here, I knew instantly it’ll go really well – great idea!:) Love all the pictures! Never knew edamame can be so photogenic
congrats on your 150th post. we make a similar salad only with mung beans though… clicks are good.
My kind of salad! It looks light and delicious.
OH Gosh ..I am glad you guys reached home safely!
As for the salad .. looks so bright and fresh. I never made salad with moong daal but i should give it a try.
I normally come home from trips wanting to eat green salad like crazy. I guess too much sandwich and easy to find food leaves me craving for salad. I love your take on lentils. I have to make a trip to the Indian grocery store here soon!
Congrats on the 150!! I’ve switched to mung daal from toor daal in most of my cooking lately. I have never tried a salad though. This looks healthy and simple enough.
Congrats on ur 150th post Tanvi!!
Looking forward to many many posts from you…
This salad looks gorgeous, I love dry mung dal alot so this will be a nice way to have them.. Edamame I am not a big fan but will sure try this…
Hope you are doing good, Talk you soon!!
Congrats on 150th post! I keep forgetting mine and I don’t even remember. Haha. Glad you had a great time in LA, but oh how scary it is to travel on road during holidays. I never thought about all the car shop being closed etc. I’m glad you are home safe – despite 113F weather. My gosh, do you want to come over to 65-70F weather? *hint hint*
This salad is very simple and I love that. I grew up eating edamame so I have no problem with it, and this salad looks beautiful with all the colors you added!
loved loved loved this recipe. congrats on 150!
Good to know that you had a fun filled road trip Tanvi. I just loved this salad. So simple and wholesome. Definitely my type
COngrates on your 150th post..!!!:):) and as you said, Daals are exceptional part of our indian cusine, the love for dal in our mind always stays.
Love simple and vibrant salads like this one — it spells summer to me
Hi Tanvi,
This salad looks incredible! I need to make this asap.
Hi Tanvi – wonderful to hear that you had a well-deserved and fun road trip, despite the misbehavior of your car. Everything is part of the adventures, right?:) Oh, how I love your refreshing yet full of bold flavors salad. Every dish you make always incorporate your own touch which I truly admire. Nothing beats a simple food at home. I feel exactly the same way after having to eat out when we travel or on the road. Mark will go for a detox tea first before anything else! Hope you’re staying cool in Vegas & enjoy the weekend. It does sound hotter than the weather I’m used to back in Malaysia.
I could eat edamame non stop! Boil them and sprinkle with Balinese sea salt before serving. You recipe definitely nailed-I think it deserve a try in my kitchen
Oh my! I love edamame. I am always looking for new ways to use it. Yum, yum!
Your blog has been such a wonderful chance find. I am going to try all your vegetarian recipes. look forward to more posts here.