Persian Cucumber Salad With Lentils & Sprouts

Quick-pickling adds bright flavor to this cucumber and lentil salad recipe, perfect for a simple lunch or as part of a larger meal. We like French green lentils for this salad because they hold their shape well when cooked. Look for them in natural-foods stores and well-stocked supermarkets.

Prep/Cook Time: 40 Minutes, Servings: 4

Ingredients

• ½ cup champagne vinegar or rice vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 dried hot chile, such as red Thai or chile de arbol, torn
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon dill seed
• 2 cups halved and sliced unpeeled small cucumbers, preferably Persian or “mini”
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins
• A few sprigs fresh dill
• ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1 cup cooked French green lentils
• ⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 4 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, dill and cilantro
• ½ cup microgreens or mixed sprouts

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, water, chile, sugar, ½ teaspoon salt and dill seed in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 2 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Place cucumbers and raisins in a shallow bowl or glass dish along with dill sprigs. Carefully pour on the hot liquid. Refrigerate, stirring once or twice, for 20 minutes. Strain (reserving the pickling liquid); discard the chile and dill sprigs. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the liquid to a large bowl. (Reserve the remaining pickling liquid to pickle more vegetables or to use in a salad dressing, if desired.)
3. Whisk the 2 tablespoons pickling liquid with yogurt, oil, pepper and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Add the cucumber mixture, lentils, feta, radishes, scallions and herbs; gently toss to combine. Garnish with microgreens (or sprouts).

Nutritional Information

Per Serving: 179 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 5 g mono); 12 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 0 g added sugars; 6 g total sugars; 8 g protein; 4 g fiber; 213 mg sodium; 348 mg potassium

© Dotdash Meredith. All rights reserved. Used with permission.