what is the best way to cook lentils?

Question

I like dark lentils cooked with carrotts and I think onion but sometimes it is a tasteless mess. I need a workable old fashioned method I think

Answer 1

CHILI WITH LENTILS

1 lb. dry lentils 1-1/2 T. chili powder
1 t. salt 1 medium onion, chopped
5 c. boiling water 1/2 c. chopped celery
1 16-oz. can tomatoes 1 clove garlic, minced
or tomato sauce

1. Rinse dry lentils. Pick out any stems or stones.

2. Add salt and lentils to boiling water. Cover and simmer
for 30 minutes. Do not drain.

3. Add tomatoes or tomato sauce, chili powder, onion,
celery, and garlic. Cover and simmer 30 minutes more, or til
lentils are tender.

4. Serve over rice, spaghetti or corn chips.

Makes 7 servings.



Lentil Curry Recipe #17687
*Instead of tomatoes, I use tamarind (size of 1 lime, soaked in water). If you are gravy lover, add more water before adding chopped tomatoes. This lentil curry is my own version and hope you'd enjoy it as everyone else. We Sri Lankans are very fond of lentil curry and we have this curry atleast a couple of times a week. Tamarind Pod is a tropical fruit that we sun-dry when they are ripe. Tamarind pod has a semi-hard [easily crackable] peel, and when you break the peel, you can see "sticky type" of pulp which has covered its seeds [like beads]. You can buy tamarind pulp in Asian Food Stores, and all you need to do is just break a small piece and soak in a little bit of water and squeeze the juice and use in the curry. I live in Cairns, Australia - and I recently found "tamarind pulp" [comes in 4"x4"x1" block, wrapped in clear plastic wrapping, which you can keep forever in an air-tight container and use whenever you need] in an Asian Food Store. Tamarind has a sour taste together with a bit of sweetness - but, you can easily substitute it with chopped well ripen tomatoes. Hope these information would be helpful to you.
1 cup red lentils, cleaned,washed
1 big onions, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 sprig curry leaves (optional)
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 dried red chilies (whole)
1/2 whole mustard seeds
1/4 fenugreek seeds
1 maggi soup cube (I use veggie Maggie cube) or 1 pinch msg
1/2 teaspoon sri lankan curry powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt


Boil lentils till tender in 4 cups of water, tumeric powder, and Maggie[or MSG].
Add chopped tomatoes, curry powder and cook further till tomatoes are done.
When cooked, remove the lentils into a separate bowl.
Rinse the sauce pan well, and re-heat it and add oil.
Heat oil and add dry chillie, mustard seed and fenugreek seed.
Do not let them burn as it may give a bitter taste.
Add Curry leaves, chopped onion and garlic.
Fry till golden brown.
Add lentil mixture, stir, adjust salt[you may add a bit of lemon juice to your taste].
Cover and cook for about 3 minutes.

Answer 2

Usually you don't need soaking lentils beforehand. How about this simple recipe that you can make with or without meat:

100 g lentils
1 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, pressed
half a liter of chicken or vegetable stock
1 big carrot (or several small ones), chopped
1 branch of celery, chopped

Bake the onion, garlic, carrot and celery in a bit of oil or butter until soft. Add the lentils as well as half a liter of chicken or vegetable stock and bring to boil.
Cook for about 15 minutes (check the time with the instructions on the pack, there are several kinds of lentils). Take care that it doesn't dry out too much because lentils suck up a lot of moist. If needed add some water or stock.

Alternatively, you can bake some bacon together with the vegetables for a non vegetarian version and/or add some wine.

Answer 3

Hey, here are some variations:

Try these lentil patties:
Soak lentils for 3-4 hours. Grind them coarsely with little salt and your favorite spices. Do not add extra water. Now, add some chopped onions, chopped ginger root (a small piece will do) and some chopped mint leaves. If you like it to be hot, add some chopped hot pepper as well. Mix everything together, form into patties and deep fry in oil until they are golden brown.

Now, try this lentil curry:
Soak a cup of lentil for 3-4 hours, cook them with vegetables of your choice, salt to taste and a pinch of turmeric (Mc Cormick). When everything is cooked fine, remove it from fire. Now, in a wok, melt some butter and fry some chopped onions and crushed garlic (if you like the taste). When they are browned, add the lentil soup into it and cook for 3-4 minutes. If you like the curry taste, add 1-2 teaspoonful of Indian curry powder as well.
Variations:
(a)The above recipe is good with spinach instead of veggie mix
(b) You could grind some coconut and cumin and add to the soup before adding to the onion mix, to make it more delicious.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Soak 1/2 cup lentils for 2-3 hrs before cooking. Cook lentils till they are soft in a closed pan. you will need 21/2 cups of water for the lentils to cook well.
In a pan saute 1 chopped medium red onion or a few chopped shallots.
Add 1 chopped tomato let it fry for a few min. Add seasoning of your choice ( Curry powder or Creole seasoning or simply add a large pinch of cumin powder ) add about 1/2 cup chopped spinach or chopped fenugreek leaves. Add the cooked lentils, salt and some water and cover and cook till desired consistency is reached .
This a complete vegan dish.

Answer 5

You need some spices and herbs. To your basic method of cooking lentils, add some curry powder and some dried thyme, savory and marjoram. I add a dash of vinegar and a pinch of sugar too. The vinegar keeps the lentils separate and they don't get mushy. Then don't forget salt and pepper. Add some minced garlic to the onions if you like. cook the lentils for about 25 minutes. Check one every so often so they don't overcook.

I like to eat them with focaccia bread.

Answer 6

Soak the lentils in water for about 3 hours and cook in a pressure cooker
you will have it ready faster

Answer 7

Make a really good lentil stew with onions, carrots, and potato's, seasonings, beef broth and you can add beef to it. Yummy

Answer 8

Try adding some curry powder to your lentils and other veggies

Answer 9

.Lentils, onion, carrots, seasonal, salt & pepper, add some bacon drippings, or some chopped up bacon or ham. This is excelent.( Me Mas )

Answer 10

I love lentil stew. Next day you can serve it over rice or simmer till it's thick and serve in tortillas; anyway, here's a great recipe: http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=lentil_chili