Recipe from Nik Sharma
Adapted by Mayukh Sen
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- 4(1,221)
- Notes
- Read community notes
The Indian cheese paneer doesn’t typically show up in salads, but this one from food writer Nik Sharma’s cookbook, “Season,” involves cutting paneer into cubes and roasting it alongside cauliflower for about 25 minutes (though doing so for longer wouldn’t hurt). Paneer maintains its structure in heat, so its skin will come out of the oven charred, its insides still soft. You’ll stir the paneer and cauliflower with green and black lentils, cooked and drained, and scallions, resulting in a pleasing jumble of textures. Drizzle it with a cilantro-lime dressing, which gives the salad a tart kick. —Mayukh Sen
Featured in: An Indian Food Writer Breaks Free From Tradition
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Ingredients
Yield:4 to 6 servings, as a side
- ½cup green lentils
- ½cup black lentils
- 1small head cauliflower (about 1 pound)
- 110-ounce block paneer, cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2 cups total)
- 1teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½teaspoon black pepper
- 1tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 4scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced
- 1cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1cup tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 1Serrano chile, seeded, if desired
- Juice of 1 lime, about ¼ cup
- 1teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- ½teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Salad
For the Cilantro-oil Dressing
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
525 calories; 41 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 28 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 507 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Rinse the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water and pick out any stones or imperfect beans. Transfer to a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, turn the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until tender but not mushy, 25 to 60 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on how old the lentils are, so check them every 5 minutes after the first half hour. When they've reached desired doneness, drain through a fine-mesh strainer and set on a clean kitchen towel to absorb any remaining liquid.
Step
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While the lentils are cooking, roast the cauliflower and paneer: Cut the cauliflower into bite-size florets and transfer to a roasting or sheet pan. Add the paneer. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil, mixing to coat evenly. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the florets and paneer are crispy on the outside and feel tender when pierced with a skewer or knife, 20 to 25 minutes.
Step
3
Meanwhile, make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a blender and pulse at medium-high speed until smooth and paste-like.
Step
4
When the cauliflower and paneer are done, transfer to a large bowl and gently stir in the drained lentils and scallions. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Drizzle with ½ to ⅓ cup of the dressing, to taste, and serve warm or at room temperature. (Store the leftover salad and dressing in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Shake the dressing before using.)
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1,221
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Cooking Notes
Aggie Kenny
Can substitute tofu
LIsa G
This would be a very good dish to bring to a pot luck. I substituted halloumi for the paneer, which is a middle eastern cheese that also holds together when roasting. I actually like it better than paneer.
Anjali
This was delicious! I added a little cumin powder and anchor powder to the cauliflower and paneer whilst roasting. Will definitely make again especially for a crowd
S
The recipe doesn't make clear whether the green & black lentils are whole or split. From the picture, they look like whole lentils.If so, don't substitute urad dal (split black lentil). Use sabut urad (whole black lentil), available at any Indian grocery store or online.To the person asking whether red lentils could be used - red lentils are split, so the cooking time & resulting texture will be totally different. They will become mushy when cooked.
S
I couldn't find paneer so I used halloumi and loved it (don't roast it as long). I also threw in tofu for some added healthy protein, but it doesn't have half the flavor that halloumi does -- I don't recommend it as a substitution. I also used time-saving cheats as a working mom of an infant, buying ready-made lentils and frozen grilled cauliflower from Trader Joe's.
Good for to-go lunches / dinners
Update: Served it over a bed of arugula for lunch on day 2, which upgraded it from tasty to definitely make again.
CurryCook
This would be a great, relatively quick vegetarian main dish, except I found it strangely bland. I ended up adding madras curry powder and some rice vinegar to the dressing. Toasting the spices might have helped. Also, I don't think the mix of lentils added much, since the color difference is not that striking once you add the green dressing.
RebelGirlCooks
I definitely agree that a cup of oil is way too much, will be using 2/3 or 1/2 cup next time. Also I had forgotten that using a blender can make olive oil bitter, so it would be best to blend the cilantro with a small amount of olive or canola oil at first, and then add the rest of olive oil, whisking by hand rather than blending.
Chelsea Hodge
Wow amazingly delicious! The killer combo of veggies + protein + tons of flavor. I used 1/4 c oil in the dressing and that was perfect. 😍
Dane B
Since it's being blended, go ahead and use your cilantro stems too!
Weston
Roast the cauliflower and paneer on separate sheets for more control. I found the paneer too dry if it browns as much as the cauliflower
Lynn
Red lentils fall apart, black lentils do not. I think you might like the texture more with the black lentils.
aa
I loved this- made with half feta and half tofu not paneer. Was great - used lentils I had on hand - also great.
Debbie Maldonado
I made this for dinner , it came out great my whole family loved it! I made a couple exchanges tho , I used extra firm tofu instead of paneer and roasted it much about 20 min longer after taking out the cauliflower. I as well added the cumin powder to it . Great recipe and very healthy too !
Nancy
I substituted black eyed peas for the lentils because it was on hand. Everything else as written. It was excellent and quick. Next time though I think I'll add the paneer about half way through roasting the cauliflower.
Katie
This is very tasty. However it's annoying that the dressing makes far more than you use in the recipe. One of Nik's other recipes that I've made does this as well. Then you just have a bunch of leftover dressing languishing in the fridge. If I make this again I may try halving the dressing and using my immersion blender.
Stephanie
Really good. We had it warm for dinner but I am looking forward to the leftovers cold for lunch and I think it would wonderful for a picnic. Makes more sauce than you need - not sure why they don't just scale down the ingredients.
Dee
Tasty and easy to put together. Made as written though I only used on sheet pan. I crisped up the paneer and it looked pretty, but was a bit dry. I think 425 is too high for the oven. Will make again. Yummy sauce but didn't need it al.
Sam C
Really nice, healthy and filling meal. Didn't quite have enough cauliflower so i adding an eggplant into the mix. My grocery was out of paneer so I went with a mix of halloumi and tofu. Delish!
Lisa
Add potatoes and chickpeas and the TJ mixed grains. Serve with the tardivo salad.
Gretchen
So delicious! Only comment is that this makes an absurd amount of dressing – almost double what you actually need.
kels
This was really good with a bit of doctoring! Cooked the lentils in veggie broth with a bay leaf, used more lime juice in the dressing and added more coriander and a touch of cumin, served hot over some arugula. I also used halloumi instead of paneer which made it a touch too salty, but that’s on me.
s.martiny
Great basic recipe! I started with cauliflower because it was getting old in the fridge. Used feta as someone else suggested for the paneer- used mint and basil for cilantro, because- late fall garden. Used half brown lentils and half wild rice-from a trip to Wisconsin, and topped with some crunchy sesame sticks. OMG. Adjust seasonings to your taste, I didn’t measure. We ate it warm. I’m still feeling the deliciousness.
Renee
Anyone know how long this would keep in the fridge? I was thinking of meal prepping this for lunches.
Liza
Last time I tried oven-roasting the paneer (another recipe) they turned into little rocks. This time I pan-fried the cubes (after soaking in water first), in butter with some seasoned salt ... yum. I used a whole jalapeno vs a serrano (you use what you can get) in a half recipe and it was nicely zippy. All in all pretty tasty, although next time I'll likely use halloumi instead. If you have any chile crisp handy (NYT recipe) that's pretty nice on top as well.
LJB
Great vegetarian dinner. I roasted tofu along with the cheese on a separate sheet pan from the cauliflower since I figured the cauliflower would take longer. I added some lime zest to the dressing and used curry powder instead of coriander since I didn’t have coriander. I don’t love lentils and I really enjoyed the dish.
Matthias
Worked well with Halloumi instead of Paneer.The dressing I found to bitter and oily, changed for classic vinaigrette.Next time will try with carrot cubes cooked with the lentils for a little while and parsley directly in the salad.
Paige
Would be delicious with halloumi
Karima Moyer-Nocchi
I too added cumin, but in seed form and sizzled in oil. I also found that it tasted better the next day and as a cold dish. Instead of paneer, I substituted “primo sale” because I live in Italy and that is what is available to meet here.
KatieNarayani
try with halloumi, scallion quantity should be done by taste rather than number, could try serving over greens or quinoa
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