Name: Spicy Red Lentils with Capers and Currants
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 600g (1 1/4 pounds) dried red lentils; 1 cup currants; 1/2 cup baby capers; 1 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/3 cup red wine vinegar; 2 tablespoons caster sugar; 2 teaspoons salt; freshly ground black pepper to taste; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; mustard powder 1 teaspoon; 11/2 teaspoons curry powder; 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder; 1 large red onion cut into thin slivers; chopped parsley

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Spicy red lentils with capers and currants is one of those salads that’s so good, in so many ways. Let’s talk about flavour. It is mildly spicy, with a clean fresh taste thanks to the currants and capers. It’s extremely portable which makes it great picnic fare.

The salad holds in the fridge for a good week which makes it perfect for lunchboxes or snack time. Not to mention it is extremely economical and super quick to put together. What’s not to like?

ingredients to make Spicy Red Lentils with Capers and Currants on a concrete table

Lentils are high in protein and a great source of fibre, they are a “slow-metabolizing” carbohydrate the kind of carb that has so many health benefits. Combined with a yummy dressing, currants, onions, capers and parsley this salad just says eat me!

We really love summer for the wonderful salads made with the fruit and veg that are in season, however there are times that a salad like this Spicy Red Lentils with Capers and Currants just comes into it’s own.

ingredients being combined into a metal bowl to make Spicy Red Lentils with Capers and Currants — **combine the dressing ingredients by giving it all a good whisk, then pour over the remaining ingredients and toss to combine.**

Perfectly forgiving, this salad holds away from refrigeration for hours so the BBQ down by the lake or a picnic at the park isn’t spoilt with a soggy salad.

We recently took a double quantity of this salad to a picnic race day with a group of friends. Everyone brings a plate which makes entertaining super easy. As the salad is already dressed it makes for a no fuss effort.

Red lentils

Red split lentils cook quickly. Watch them like a hawk, as they can go from cooked to mush in 30 seconds as Belinda, whose recipe it came from says. We like the lentils to almost be ‘al dente’, so we cook them so they still have a slight bite factor.

Mixing the Spicy Red Lentils with Capers and Currants in a metal bowl on a marble counter top — **be gentle while mixing the salad so as not to break the lentils……. we don’t won’t mushy lentils, do we….**

Curry powder

We used a mild curry powder for the salad. The ‘Clive of India’ powder has nine different spices, and is a good all-round curry powder. Check the use-by dates on your curry powder container as the flavours can become ‘flat’ and lose its flavour the older the powder is.

Check out some more winning salad recipes

Click on the link for the recipe………….Tomato, Burrata, Basil and Prosciutto Salad

Click on the link for the recipe……Thai Mango and Lobster Salad

Click on the link for the recipe……. Mexican Prawn, Mango and Avocado Salad

Click on the link for the recipe…..Easy Egg and Bacon Potato Salad

What’s your favourite lentil recipe? We would love to hear from you in the comments below when you make this spicy red lentils with capers and currants.

10-12 serves depending on the size of your serve