Lentil Curry - mega flavour lentil recipe! (2024)

FAQs

How do I get the most out of my lentils? ›

Give them a simmer

(Here's a handy cooking chart for that.) You can also add salt, aromatics like a halved onion, herbs, and spices to the pot before the lentils and the water, like beans, or wait until they're done cooking to flavor them.

Just know that green/brown lentils don't soften as much as red lentils and will give the dahl more texture. They also take longer to cook, but you can mitigate this by adding more water or broth to the pot as needed.

Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to season with salt after cooking – if salt is added before, the lentils will become tough.

These lentils have been grown in the region for over 2,000 years and it is said that they have gastronomic qualities that come from the terroir (in this case attributed to the area's volcanic soil). They are praised for their unique peppery flavor and the ability to retain their shape after cooking.

4) Add some flavor boosters, if you'd like.

Add some salt, maybe a bay leaf, and maybe a clove of garlic (peeled but left whole). Some recipes will warn you to never add salt to beans or lentils while they're cooking (they say it'll prevent them from cooking through), but it's simply not true!

However, it's worth bearing in mind – if you are planning on eating lentils every day – that the fibre they contain can be difficult to break down and can potentially cause gas and cramping if you eat too much of it.

Black Beluga lentils have the most flavor, adding a rich, earthy taste and a firm texture that holds up well during cooking. Black lentils will be ready in 20–25 minutes; however, they will fall apart like their brown, green, and red partners once you cook them for too long.

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)

Chickpeas are not lentils but can be a suitable substitute in some recipes due to their nutty flavor and firm texture. Best For: Chickpeas work well in dishes like curries, salads, and soups where you want a meaty texture and a slightly nutty flavor.

Brown/ Green Lentils: The most common variety, brown lentils have an earthy flavor and hold their shape well when cooked. They are a versatile option for soups, stews, and side dishes. Red Lentils: With a sweet and nutty flavor, red lentils cook quickly and become soft and creamy.

Lentils do not require it but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half. Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.

What happens if you don't soak red lentils? ›

Soaking dried beans and lentils before cooking is not always necessary, but it can help reduce cooking time and improve their digestibility. Here's what happens if you don't soak them: 1> Longer Cooking Time: Beans and lentils that haven't been soaked will generally take longer to cook compared to soaked ones.

Lentils should always be consumed well-cooked as when raw or undercooked they can cause serious health problems, food poisoning and, in very extreme cases, even death. It's all because they contain natural compounds called lectins which are toxic but fortunately, cooking destroys them!

We're all about French lentils, because like the greatest boxers, lawyers, and internet trolls, they're thick-skinned. This means that these speckled, greenish-bluish-greyish orbs, also called green French lentils or lentilles du Puy, retain their shape when cooked and have a pleasant, poppy texture.

The best side dishes to serve with lentils are roasted vegetables, yellow rice, couscous, caramelized onions, gobi manchurian, tomato basil soup, brown rice, grilled flatbread, Greek salad, cucumber raita, quinoa, and naan bread.

A variety of green lentils, French lentils are about one-third the size of regular lentils. With a slightly greenish-grey hue, they may appear more akin to gravel than a legume, and boast a peppery flavor. The thing that really makes French lentils stand apart though is their texture.

Lentils contain the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, but are normally low in methionine and cystine, meaning that on their own they are not a “complete protein.” However, if lentils are first sprouted before they are cooked, then all essential amino acids are available, including methionine and cystine.

Yes, soaking lentils activates a substance called amylase, which breaks down complex starch in lentils, making it easier to digest. Also, the soaking process gets rid of all gas-causing compounds, thereby stimulating the digestion process.

[121] assessed the relative Fe bioavailability in cooked lentils using a Caco-2 cell bioassay and showed that the relative Fe bioavailability of lentils was 2.4 mg of ferritin/mg of protein and found that removing the seed coat significantly increased the bioavailability.