Spiced Tomatoes with Yoghurt Sauce & Lentils
To obtain maximum flavour in this tomato salad it’s important to use full-flavoured tomatoes at their peak of ripeness. After all, the tomatoes are the star of the show.
6-8 large vine-ripened tomatoes (preferably
heirloom)
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground sumac
½ teaspoon each ground cumin and coriander,
and chilli flakes
1 clove garlic, finely crushed or grated
½ cup French green lentils 1 cup thick Greek-style yoghurt
2 tablespoons each chopped fresh parsley, mint
and coriander
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil
TO SERVE
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves Warmed flat breads
Cut the big tomatoes into thick slices and arrange over a large platter. Scatter with the cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle with the spices and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Leave to sit for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place lentils in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Drain well and set aside to cool.
In a bowl, combine the yoghurt and chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, toss the cooled lentils with the onion, vinegar, and 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Season and toss to combine.
To serve, dollop the yoghurt sauce over the spiced tomatoes and tumble the lentil salad on top. Generously drizzle all over with oil and scatter with parsley. This is great served with bread for mopping up the juices. Serves 4