Lentils are super-affordable and can be stored in the pantry. They cook up quickly, you can use them in a bunch of ways and you can eat them hot or cold. Lentils, with their earthy flavor, are extremely satisfying. We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App —— with over 15, delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! The different types of lentils have different cooking times and uses.
Brown lentils are the most common type of lentil and are probably the one people are most familiar with. They have a rich, earthy flavor and hold their shape well, though they are easily mashed. They cook in minutes. Green lentils or French lentils have a more robust flavor. They have a firm texture even after cooking. Green lentils take about 45 minutes to cook.
Red lentils can actually be red, orange, yellow or gold. They take about 30 minutes to cook and get mushy with a sweeter taste. They are often used in Indian dishes. Before cooking, pick through the lentils to remove any pebbles or debris. Rinse the lentils under running water. Transfer the lentils to a saucepan and add water. Add any seasonings such as garlic or a bay leaf.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for minutes minutes for green lentils until tender. Add water, if needed, to keep the lentils just submerged.
When the lentils are tender, strain them and return them to the pan. Add salt to taste. Use them in your recipes or eat them on their own. The first way I ever ate lentils was as a soup made from brown lentils. Today, I make a version of that lentil soup with lots of veggies. I saute diced onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, and garlic in a spoon of oil until they are tender.
I add my favorite seasonings of thyme, cumin, basil, parsley, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. In 45 minutes I have a rich and hearty lentil veggie soup. Dals are basically thick, hearty stews, though the term also refers to the legumes used to make them.
Most dals are made from lentils, but they can be made from other legumes or split peas. Dals are easy to make — cook lentils in water or broth with onions, tomatoes, and Indian spices such as turmeric, cumin, curry, ginger, mustard seeds, coriander and garam masala. They are usually served with rice or roti. Masoor dal is made with red lentils. Also called beluga lentils, they have an earthy flavor that compliments proteins or meaty vegetables, such as mushrooms, with a moderately low cooking time of 25 minutes.
Commonly used in North America, this is the variety you might often see staring back at you in your pantry. With a mild and earthy flavor and ability to hold their texture after being cooked, they can serve as a veggie burger base without overpowering the fresh veggie flavor.
A cheap, nutrient-dense option, lentils may just become one of your new favorite foods. In addition to their high protein and fiber content, which will keep you satiated for a relatively long period of time, there are a few other reasons you may want to make lentils an integral part of your diet.
For instance, they are high in iron, a good source of phytochemicals, and can help control weight. Like other legumes, raw lentils contain a type of protein called lectin that, unlike other proteins, binds to your digestive tract, resulting in a variety of toxic reactions, such as vomiting and diarrhea. Luckily, lectins are heat sensitive, and break down into more digestible components when they're cooked!
Some legumes, like red kidney beans, need to be brought to a boil to fully break down the lectins here's a good all-purpose dried bean recipe. Unfortunately, most dried beans also need to then simmer for an hour or more. But lentils typically cook much faster! Part of the reason is that they are smaller, but they also contain much lower levels of lectin than other beans.
The levels of the specific lectin called PHA are measured in hemagglutinating units, or hau. According to the FDA, raw red kidney beans typically contain between 20, and 70, hau. To do this, cook the lentils using the above method until nearly cooked -- just al dente.
Then add the lentils to your vinaigrette of choice while still hot, and toss to combine. As the lentils cool, they will soak up the vinaigrette, continuing to cook in the process, leaving you with a lentil salad that's filled with flavor.
Just like other pulses, lentils remain, at their heart, seeds; they can easily be sprouted and added to your favorite salads or sandwiches. Use a sprouting kit or mason jar to sprout your favorite variety of whole lentil at home. Just rinse the lentils thoroughly and place in a sprouting container, covering three-quarters of the way full before covering with a mesh lid.
Rinse the lentils every day, and watch them grow. It would obviously be pretty hard to stuff a lentil itself, but you can easily use lentils to make a vegetarian stuffing. Lentils can be cooked up with tomatoes to make a substitute Bolognese sauce for lasagna or stuffed shells, or toss them with spices to make a stand-in for taco meat. Many lentils make an excellent thickener all on their own, like red or brown lentils. In this lentil recipe , Puy lentils are simmered with spices and topped with a mint and black pepper yogurt that mirrors the pepperiness in the lentil itself.
Photo Credit: glowkitchen. This vegan lentil soup combines green lentils with chickpeas and black-eyed peas for a legume-rich dish that's packed with protein. Photos by Ally Jane Grossan. This red lentil curry uses a combination of red lentils, paprika, and turmeric to create a wow-worthy color in this Indian-inspired dish.
Image: Jennifer. Basic brown lentils are the key to these vegan burger patties , which are rich in umami thanks to sweet potatoes and sun-dried tomatoes. Dal image via Shutterstock.
This version includes brown, red, and yellow lentils as well as split peas and chickpeas. Photo: Robin Locker — My Melange.
You'll often find lentils as a vegetarian main, but they also stand up great to the flavors of fish or meat. In this dish, rich salmon sits on a bed of warm lentils for a unique twist on surf and turf. Photo Credit: GlowKitchen. A cousin to the pea and a rich provider of protein and carbohydrates the lentil is also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and B vitamins — making it an important diet staple the world over.
There are several different varieties — most commonly used in cooking are brown, red, green, puy and yellow. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain. Boil lentils in three times the volume of water and avoid cooking with anything acidic — such as vinegar. Lentils will vary in their cooking times depending on their variety and age, so always check the packet.
Lentils are also great in the pressure cooker; cook for around mins depending on the type. Keep lentils in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Although lentils can be kept and eaten indefinitely, they are best enjoyed within one year of purchase. Lentils can be bought, cooked and ready to eat, in a can or pouch, and are ideal for adding bulk to salads and sides.
Most commonly, lentils are bought dried and ideally will be firm, clean and unshrivelled. The type of lentil you choose will depend on intended usage:.
0コメント