Azifa — Chilled Green Lentils Salad with Mustard & Red Onion

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried Green Lentils, rinsed
• 1 Red Onion, diced very small
• 2 green chilies, minced
• 1 tbsp Dijon or Ethiopian senafich mustard
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• Handful parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• Injera or lettuce cups, for serving

Method

1. Simmer the Green Lentils in unsalted water 20–25 minutes until tender but still holding their shape. Drain and spread on a tray to cool quickly — lentils left to sit hot in a pot turn to mush.
2. Soak the diced Red Onion in cold water 5 minutes and drain, which softens its bite without dulling the crunch.
3. Whisk the mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, cardamom, salt, and pepper into a sharp dressing. It should make you blink.
4. Fold everything together with the chilies and parsley and chill at least 30 minutes so the lentils absorb the mustard.
5. Taste again cold — chilled food needs more salt and acid than warm food — and serve on injera or spooned into lettuce cups.