How do I cook lentils?

Question

Does anyone have any good recipes I want to try new things.

Answer 1

Lentil Soup with Chili Oil

3 cups lentils
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, chopped into 1/8-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced plus 2 whole cloves
4 cups chicken broth, hot
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 pound Tuscan or Umbrian country bread
1 cup pasta shells
Chili Oil, recipe follows

Wash and drain the lentils, carefully picking through them to take out any pebbles.
In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the 6 tablespoons oil until just smoking. Add the onions and sliced garlic. Cook until softened but not brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the lentils and the hot chicken stock. Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower then heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, keeping the level of the liquid just over the lentils by periodically adding more water. Add the pasta shells during the last 6 minutes of cooking. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

In the meantime, preheat the grill or broiler. When the soup is ready to serve, grill or toast, slices of the bread until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Rub each slice with a cut garlic clove.

Ladle the soup into warm bowls. Place a slice of garlic bread on top of each soup serving. Drizzle the bread and the soup with the chili oil and serve immediately.

Chili Oil:
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 tablespoons chili flakes
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

In a small hot saute pan, add extra-virgin olive oil and garlic. Saute until golden and add chili flakes and salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let infuse.

Of course, best of all was my Nana's STUFFED Lentils! But you need tweezers and a VERY powerful microscope for that!!! ;-)

Answer 2

Lentil Tips and Equivalents

Salt can toughen lentils
Lentil cooking tips and usage
• Lentils are a natural in soups and stews and also make a great cold salad.
• Lentils need no pre-soaking and cook much more quickly than other dried legumes.
• To cook lentils, simply pick over to remove debris or shriveled lentils, rinse, and drain. Cover with water or broth and boil for 2 to 3 minutes (to aid in digestion). Reduce heat and simmer until tender. Depending on the variety and age, cooking time may take anywhere from 10 minutes to 1 hour.
• When using a pressure cooker to cook lentils, add a teaspoon of oil to keep the scum from blocking the safety valve.
• Salt added to the cooking water will toughen the beans.

Add salt once the lentils are completely cooked.
• Acidic ingredients such as wine or tomatoes can lengthen cooking time. You may wish to add these ingredients after the lentils have become tender.
• Lentils should be liberally seasoned.
• The high protein content in lentils makes them an excellent meat substitute.
• Older lentils will take longer to cook because they have lost more moisture. Do not mix newly-purchased lentils with old ones. They will cook unevenly.
• 1 cup dry lentils = 2 to 2-1/2 cups cooked.
• 1 pound dried lentils = 2-1/4 cups dry.
• 1 pound dried lentils = 4 servings.
• 1 pound dried lentils = 5 cups cooked.

Answer 3

Honey Baked Lentils:

2 hours 30 min prep
8 servings

2 1/3 cups lentils (1 lb)
1 small bay leaf
5 cups water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 cup water
1/3 cup honey

1. In a dutch oven or saucepan combine lentils, bay leaf, 5 cups water and salt.
2. Bring to a boil.
3. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes.
4. Discard bay leaf.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
6. In a bowl combine dry mustard, ginger, soy sauce, onions and 1 cup water.
7. Add to lentils.
8. Pour honey on top.
9. Cover tightly.
10. Bake for 1 hour.
11. Serve over rice.

Answer 4

Lenticchie e Salsicce (This is a soup here in Italy we use to eat for new year eve because the tradition says that if you eat a lot a lentils in the next year you’ll have a lot of money)

350 g green or brown lentils
Large onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small dried red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped (optional)
Large can chopped tomatoes
A few sage leaves and a small sprig of rosemary
Salt and black pepper
Gently fry the vegetables, garlic and chilli (if using) in olive oil for 10 minutes
Add the tomatoes and herbs, simmer briefly
Add the lentils, cover with cold water (or stock), bring to the boil and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes or until tender
Check seasoning and serve

A kiss from Italy

Answer 5

Lentils are really versatil try one of these recipes. :o)

Sweet and Sour Red Lentils

250g/9oz/1¼ cups red lentils
¼tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp mustard or any other vegetable oil
½ tsp brown mustard seeds
½ tsp panch phoran
4 hot dried red chillies
1 bay leaf
1¼-1½ tsp salt
2 tbsp thick tamarind paste or to taste
1 tbsp sugar or to taste



Method
1. Wash the lentils in several changes of water until the water runs clear. Put them in a medium-sized pan with the turmeric and mix. Cover with 1l/1¾pt/4½ cups water. Bring the lentils to the boil over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially and simmer for 40 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir now and then during the last 10 minutes. When the lentils are cooked, mash with a spoon to a pulp-like consistency.
2. Heat the oil in a large, wide, preferably non-stick pan or wok over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds. As soon as they pop, a matter of seconds, add the panch phoran, chillies and a bay leaf. Stir and fry for 5-6 seconds or until the chillies darken in colour. Add the cooked lentils, 150ml/5fl oz water and the salt. Stir to mix. Add the tamarind paste, a little at a time to get the sourness you desire. Add just enough sugar to balance the sourness. Bring to the boil. Turn the heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes. The finished dal should have the consisitency of a thick purée.

Lentils with Pasta and Caramelised Onions

Ingredients
1 large onion, sliced
6-7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
100g/3½oz large green or brown lentils, rinsed
100g/3½oz dry tagliatelle nests
salt and freshly ground black pepper
large handful chopped flatleaf parsley



Method
1. Fry the onion in two tablespoons of oil until brown and caramelised, stirring often. It is a good idea to start frying with the lid on - this allows it to soften more quickly.
2. Boil the lentils in plenty of water until just tender - read the instructions on the packet and watch the cooking carefully.
3. Break the tagliatelle into pieces and drop them into the pan with the lentils - there should be enough water to cover them. Add salt, stir and boil vigorously until the pasta is cooked al dente.
4. When the pasta is cooked, drain quickly, and toss gently with the remaining olive oil, a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, the fried onions and the parsley. Serve.

Hope these help enjoy

Answer 6

This is my great grandmother's recipe, I hope you like it.
Cook the lentils, just as you would cook beans. (boil them in water, with a piece of onion, and a clove of garlic, add salt until they are fully cooked).
Dice 4 small roma tomatoes
Chop a small onion
Chop 4-6 slices of bacon,
One platain or platano macho, slice it with the peel on, 0.5 cm. slices, first wash the plantain, take the ends off, and then slice it.
2 or three beef franks (they can also be the turkey kind)
4 slices of fresh pine apple, take the heart out, and cut into small chunks.
Add a little bit of olive oil into a pot, there you will sautee the onion and the bacon, next the beef franks and tomato, cook and then add the cooked lentils, add the pineapple and plantain, and bring everything to a boil, add salt and pepper to taste, accompany with french bread.
NOTE: Do take the peel off the plantain before eating it!

Answer 7

I'm a Latina so I like my food with a little bit of spiciness to it. I usually just boil the lentils add salt after they are done. You could add a little bit of oil in a different pan and add (chop)tomato's, onions, fresh garlic and jalapenos. After the onions have softens add cumin and pepper. Add all of your ingredients to the lentils. It gives it a great flavor. GOOD LUCK!

Answer 8

You might find this helpful...........................

Lentils, 1 cup dry, 6 ounces, makes 3 cups cooked
Cold water, 4 cups
Salt
Sauté pan, with cover

Pick over lentils, removing any tiny pieces of stone. Rinse them and drain.
Place lentils in the pan and cover well with cold water. Bring water rapidly to the simmer. Turn heat down and cover. Cook just below the simmer, with an occasional bubble coming to the surface (190 to 200 degrees F. on the instant dial thermometer).
After ½ hour cooking, add salt.
Lentils are done when soft, but still retain their shape. This will often take about 1 hour, but sometimes longer, to 1 ½ hours, depending on the lentils and heat.
Lentils are now cooked and ready for use in various recipes. Keep in the cooking liquid until needed.


Flavor-Cooked Lentils
This is the style of lentils that, whole or pureed, have accompanied lamb, duck, beef, sausages, or salt pork, in the French tradition.
Seasonings are included at the start of cooking. Finish is simple, just butter and parsley. These seasonings, particularly the thyme, garlic, and bay leaf, mesh delectably with lentils.

This recipe uses the "new method" for lentils (see above), an hour soak plus 15 minutes cooking.

Serves 4 to 6

Lentils, 1 cup dry, 6 ounces, makes 3 cups cooked
Cold water, 4 cups
Sauté pan, no cover
Cooking seasonings:
Carrot, piece
Onion, piece
Clove (optional)
Garlic, slice
Thyme, dried, ¼ teaspoon
Bay leaf, 1
Salt
Seasonings at finish (optional):
Butter
Fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
Pick over the lentils for any small pieces of stone. Rinse them and drain. Place them in the pan with the fresh cold water and let soak 1 hour.
At start of soak, or any convenient time during, stir in carrot, onion with clove inserted, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf.
After soaking, bring lentils rapidly to the simmer. Add salt. Turn heat down and cook uncovered, just below the simmer, with an occasional bubble coming to the surface (190 to 200 degrees F. on the instant dial thermometer).
Lentils should be done in about 12 to 20 minutes, depending on lentils and heat. Let them stand in their liquid until ready to serve.

(May be made ahead of time to this point.)

To finish
Just before serving, take out carrot, onion, bay leaf, and garlic slice.
Reheat lentils gently in their liquid if they have cooled
Drain lentils, reserving liquid for stock or soup. Stir in butter and chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Variation
Add a piece of orange zest with the thyme and other seasonings.


Lentils with Golden Onions
In this Middle Eastern recipe the lentils are cooked plain. At the end, golden brown onions are added, together with briefly fried garlic and coriander, plus butter.

Plain cooked lentils, 1 cup dry, 3 cups cooked (see above)

2 onions, chopped
Plain oil, 2 tablespoons

Garlic, 2 cloves
Coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon
Salt and pepper
Sauté pan
Butter, 2 tablespoons
Warm serving dish

Cook the lentils, using the new or conventional method.
While lentils are cooking, sauté onions in oil until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
To finish
If lentils have been held, reheat them in their cooking liquid.
Reheat onions in the hot oil if necessary. Crush garlic and coriander seeds. Add them to the oil and fry gently for 2 minutes, or until the garlic is golden.
Drain lentils, reserving liquid for soup or stock pot. Stir in onion-spice mixture. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add butter and serve.

Hope you would like it..... Try it out !!!!!!

Answer 9

I usually add them to a stew with pearl barley and split peas

Answer 10

It's much easier if you buy them in a can - you can use them straight away