Check out this tasty and simply refreshing recipe for Ethiopian lentil salad, Azifa. Azifa is perfect for sharing on warm days.
Today’s post is for a simple, yet delicious, summer lentil salad recipe. In Ethiopia, most lentil dishes are served hot as stews, but it’s nice to have some variety, especially as the days get warmer. Azifa is an Ethiopian green lentil salad, served cold, and made most often for large family gatherings and shared potluck-style meals.
What's great about Azifa is it is very simple to make and packs quite a bit of flavor! Traditionally Azifa is made with fresh jalapenos, red onions, and lime which gives the dish a refreshing taste and create a nice contrast to the cooked lentils. I personally like to sauté the onions and jalapenos, which is shown on the recipe below. The most distinct flavor in the Azifa comes from the ground mustard. In Ethiopia, we use the brown mustard seeds, but you can substitute your favorite choice.
The cooking time for Azifa is also easy to modify based on your schedule and taste. Presoaking the lentils will shorten the cook time. Or, you can even overcook the lentils and use Azifa as a dip (similar to guacamole) with chips. Overcooking the lentils will make them easier to mash into a more uniform dip.
Recipe for Azifa (Ethiopioan Green Lentil Salad)
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked green lentils 3 tbs minced red onions 3 tbs minced seeded jalapenos 2 tbs olive oil 3 tsp Ground mustard 3 tbs lemon juice Salt to taste
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about two minutes. Add the jalapenos and continue to sauté for an additional minute, stir occasionally. Season with salt. Turn off the heat and let the pan cool down.
In a medium bowl add the cooked lentils. Mash some of the lentils with a fork, just lightly (optional). Sprinkle the mustard on top and mix. Add all the other ingredients, including the sautéed onions and jalapenos, and combine. Add salt to taste.
Tip:
The traditional way of cooking the lentils for this salad will result in a very soft lentil. Cook to your likeness of tenderness.
Note:
Brown lentils can be used instead of the green lentils.
Offer:
I hope you enjoy trying Azifa! And if you get extra lentils, they’ll also go great with our mild turmeric simmer sauce or spicy simmer sauces . For more tasty recipes and helpful tips, sign up for our newsletter. You’ll also receive a coupon to use in our store!
A little about me:
Are you interested learning about cooking Ethiopian food? if so, I would love to share with you some of the Ethiopian dishes I cook at home. My name is Eleni. I was born and raised in Ethiopia. I came to the United States about 19 years ago. I live with my husband and two kids (ages 10 and 12) in the beautiful state of Oregon, near Portland. I am a caterer, food instructor and a farmer’s market vendor – and everything I do is exclusively related to Ethiopian food. Now I’ve created this blog to share recipes, tips, and ingredients to make it easy for you to prepare Ethiopian food at home.