Sprouted Bean & Lentil Salad - Healthy & Tasty


sprouted lentil saladSummer means more time at the beach, which in turn means getting into shape as soon as you can! Joining the "eat healthy" bandwagon, the Sprouted Bean & Lentil Salad has become my current favorite as weeknight dinners, at least twice a week. A healthy diet should include a mix of essential nutrients, a primary one being Proteins. And for vegetarians, beans, legumes and lentils are the best way to fill up on your protein needs. I love this salad because it's easy to prepare, tastes really great, and is extremely filling! Sprouted beans are combined with chopped veggies and flavored with fresh herbs and spices to help you get the best of "tasty & healthy". Customize it to suit your liking, or enjoy this summer salad the way I like it!

Lentils are a great source of protein, calcium, and are also rich in fiber. They have a unique flavor when you sprout them, and they can fill you up in no time, which works perfectly for diet plans and portion control. Garbanzo Beans (also called chickpeas) are a good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, and also help keep your blood-sugar under control.

For my salad, I used Horsegram Dal, but you can use any other legume of your choice. I made a mild sweet and sour tamarind sauce, which was used as a dressing for my salad. I added sprouted Green Mung, along with chickpeas and other veggies, and sprinkled some spicy chaat masala and cilantro to add a zing to the sweet and tangy chutney dressing. I had never eaten sprouted horse-gram before, and I was really skeptical about how it would taste, but this salad came out great, and now its become one of my favorite salad recipes!

Ingredients

1/2 cup horsegram dal
1/2 cup whole green mung
1/2 cup boiled garbanzo beans
1 tomato - finely chopped
1/2 onion - finely chopped
1/2 cucumber - finely diced (optional)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro - finely chopped
salt - to taste
black pepper - to taste

For Dressing
3 tbsp tamarind chutney
lemon juice - to taste
2-3 tsp chaat masala

Method
Soak the horsegram and whole green mung in 2 containers in sufficient water overnight. Cover with a lid and allow them to swell-up. Then remove the water from the containers, cover with a damp cotton cloth or kitchen towel, and allow them to sprout, probably another 6-8 hours. You can even use a sprouter for doing this. The sprouted beans can be dried and stored in an air-tight box or zip-lock bags in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Now mix all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl, except cilantro. Add the salt, and black pepper to it and let it sit for 5-10 mins.

Meanwhile prepare the tamarind chutney, or you can use the store-bought one. If you are not a tamarind-person, you can easily omit it and use only lime juice for the dressing.

Add the dressing to the salad, taste and add any more spices as required. Finally sprinkle a generous helping of chaat-masala, again, according to your taste. Chaat Masala is merely a blend of spices and adds a fresh taste to your food, so don't be afraid of using it! Top it with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy this healthy Sprouted Lentil Salad on its own, or top it on a slice of bread. Combine with a glass of orange juice and you are all set for a healthy and tasty dinner indeed!

Similar Recipes
Spinach & Strawberry Salad
Cranberry & Mixed Green Salad
Vegetarian Mexican Salad


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31 comments :

Homemade Heaven said...

We are in the grips of winter and I have been craving lentils all week. This is definitely going on the menu when we have a warmer day.

Fitness Foodie said...

This sounds like a great summer salad, really interesting and exciting ingredients. Makes me think I need to experiment with different spices and herbs :)

Finla said...

When i read that the dressing was with tamarind chutney my mouth was wattering.
Looks healthy and super delicious.
Send it to Sig's event.

Kalyn Denny said...

This sounds fabulous. Just the sort of salad I love!

Anonymous said...

this looks so tasty! I can imagine why it would become your favorite:) the flavors in there, and the tamarind dressing are really enticing!

~sarah

Lisa Turner said...

Mansi, this sounds so good! You know, it would be an ideal entry for No Croutons Required. The theme this month is legumes.

Mansi said...

I'm glad so many of you liked it! Lisa, I'll be sure to check out the event:)

personally, I loved the flavors in here, and yes, it does make for an interesting summer salad, full of protein, taste and fiber!:)

Kalai said...

Wow, Mansi! Amazing use of the horsegram dal! The salad looks amazing. I am bookmarking this to try soon! :)

Uma said...

lovely salad with plenty of healthy ingredients. You said, you eat it for dinner, is it filling? I guess, it is! Looks scrumptious.

Anonymous said...

brilliant use of lentils! I love the flavors in here:) thanks for giiving me a new option in my vegan diet plan!

-jeremy

Anonymous said...

Many thanks for the lovely WHB entry!

Shri said...

it is really healthy!!cool recipe

SMN said...

Hey Manasi, thats a nice topping for the salad.. pic luks yummy..

grace said...

excellent--i can have this for lunch and not feel the least bit guilty about the ice cream i devour for dessert. :)

Anonymous said...

I used Horsegram Dal in my salad too cause its increase taste.I like all type of salad.Thanks for sahring about this summer salad.Please share more.

EC said...

Some awards for u on my blog

FH said...

I love this too, I have one brown lentil salad at Aroma.Looks good and good for you too. Great for Summer lunch!:)
Enjoy your weekend ,hugs!

Unknown said...

Excellent recipe Mansi,i also make salad couple of times in a week to get back into shape,this sounds great.

EC said...

Simple and delicious looking salad

Anonymous said...

i really have to get on the lentils-in-salad bandwagon. i always think of them as a soup thing, but recipes like this one always sound and look so good.

also, tamarind chutney? drool.

Vanamala Hebbar said...

healthu salad..iam going to try this..nice recipe

Anonymous said...

Chick Peas and Lentils are two of my favorite things. I love to see them together in the gorgeous summer salad. I'll definitely give this recipe a try. Thank you so much for sharing!

Mallika said...

My mommy made this salad all the time. It's so super healthy! And I agree with you about getting in shape for the beach...

Cris said...

What a healthy choice! Mansi, I just sent you an e-mail about the mingle! :-)

Sophie said...

Oh, how I wish I could go to the beach during the summer :P!!! I bet this would make a tasty picnic meal too...definitely healthy, that's for sure :)!

karuna said...

wht a co-incidence, i just made a sprout salad for lunch today. refreshing recipe

Neha said...

love ur blog, n urs recipe too., but i think first time having a comment ...:)
Anyways i 've a award waiting for u in my blog..do check.And i too have something ready for the mingle 'll post soon...

test it comm said...

That salad looks good! The tamarind chutney sounds really interesting.

Arundathi said...

thats a great looking salad! I have a bowl of sprouted lentil salad everyday and am always looking for variations - thanks!

Archana Doshi said...

Perfect for a healthy meal and just the right recipe for the event I am hosting - I would love for you to send this recipe for my event - ONE DISH MEALS. Check my site or the link below for more details.
http://www.archanaskitchen.com/2008/uncategorized/monthly-one-dish-event-meals/

Anonymous said...

very yummy and helpful post... :) the picture makes me feel hungry... can't wait to try them.. :)