Herb-infused Carrot-Mango-Moong Lentil Salad

This healthy, yummy herb-infused carrot, mango, and moong lentil salad is a summer favorite in the mango season. This salad is quite versatile. You can either enjoy this salad on a bed of your favorite greens as a light lunch or have it as a side dish with veggies or a soup.

The star ingredient in this salad is moong lentils, which are high in protein. Therefore, this salad-a combination of protein and fiber--keep you full for a long time.

Soak moong lentils for at least six hours, preferably overnight; drain and rinse under running water. Combine the lentils in a pan with water, salt, and a little turmeric. Use just enough water to cover the lentils. Using turmeric is totally optional; I use it to accentuate the yellow color of moong lentils. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. A layer of foam forms in the pan. I usually skim the foam, a trick I learned observing my grandmother doing the same.

Check the lentils once the liquid has almost evaporated. For this salad, lentils should be al dente i.e. should be slightly firm to the bite but cooked through. Drain the cooked lentils in a fine-mesh colander and rinse with cold water and bring to room temperature before adding other ingredients. You can also prepare the lentils a day in advance and store in refrigerator.

Grate carrots. Cut mango in small cubes. Please make sure that the mango is ripe and firm but not overripe. An overripe mango shows up too sugary and tends to subdue other flavors. Finely chop cilantro (fresh coriander) and mint.

Add carrots, mango, chopped herbs, and roasted ground cumin to cooked lentils. Stir the salad with a fork and a spoon to mix well. Don't over mix as mango may start to disintegrate. I have not tried it, but you could also use cucumber instead of carrots. Cucumber tends to sweat a lot after adding salt. Therefore, remember to eat the salad immediately after adding cucumber and dressing.

To make lemon-garlic dressing-- add lemon juice, minced garlic,  salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir and mix well with the other salad ingredients.  Before serving, cover and chill in refrigerator for at least 20-30 minutes to meld flavors. I usually don't store this salad in refrigerator. However, if I plan to make the salad twice in a week, I prepare two batches of moong lentils and store in refrigerator for 4-5 days. It is super quick to add carrots, mango, spices, and dressing to recreate this salad. Enjoy.