THAI RED RICE AND FRENCH GREEN LENTIL SALAD

Thai Red Rice and French Green Lentil Salad image

Thai red rice and French green lentils, both full of nutrition, make for a healthy salad with a crunchy texture and nutty yet delicate flavor. This salad is great on its own but really shines when accompanied with spicy dishes. The rice is full of B vitamins and the lentils are packed full of vitamins and minerals; this salad is as good for you as it is delicious!

Provided by Buckwheat Queen

Categories Salad

Time 2h5m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 cup Thai red rice (cargo rice)
1 cup French green lentils (lentilles du Puy)
6 cups water, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 bay leaf
1 cup fresh peas, hulled
½ cup light vegetable oil
⅓ cup slivered almonds
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, or more to taste

Steps:

Soak red rice in a bowl of fresh water for 30 minutes. Soak lentils in fresh water in a separate bowl for 30 minutes. Drain both rice and lentils into separate pots.
Add 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the pot of rice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until water has been absorbed and rice is tender, but not soft, about 20 minutes.
Add 3 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and bay leaf to the pot of lentils and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil lentils for 15 minutes. Add peas, reduce heat, and simmer until the water has been absorbed or the legumes are tender, not soft, 5 to 10 minutes more.
Drain rice and lentils; discard bay leaf. Transfer to a large serving bowl and allow to cool slightly. Mix in oil, almonds, parsley, and lime juice. Gently fold the ingredients until they are evenly combined. Allow to rest either at room temperature or in the refrigerator before serving, about 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 323.5 calories, Carbohydrate 36.1 g, Fat 17.1 g, Fiber 5 g, Protein 8.8 g, SaturatedFat 2.2 g, Sodium 300.6 mg, Sugar 0.8 g