Lentil?

[KimKelly]

Ok... this may sound silly, but just what is a lentil? A bean? A split pea? And what do you do with them? I been hearing all these wonderful things about them, but I haven't a clue what to do with them. I do have Clair's recipe for Lentil soup that was posted under the bean thread, and it looks good. Will the lentils "mush" down like a split pea? Or will they hold form? AWK! All these questioins!!! Help!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Kim

[claire]

A lentil is in the legume family. They look like split peas, but taste entirely different. You mentioned that you have the lentil soup recipe I posted. The lentils will definitely not turn to mush if you follow the directions. The final product is a soft lentil, but definitely not mushy. However, if you overcook them (hours and hours), they will eventually turn to mush. Also, I am not sure whether I mentioned this in my original posting, but I usually double the recipe and freeze the leftovers. When I need a quick dinner I grab a container from the freezer and defrost in the micro.

I just remembered, CL had a feature on lentils in the September 2000 issue. I have not tried any of the lentil recipes from Sept. 2000. Has anyone else?

[Ohioan]

Hi, Kim - Lentils are legumes, like beans and peas. Unlike beans, they cook quickly without pre-soaking or pre-cooking; in this way, they're more like peas or split peas than like beans.

There are several types of lentils. The brown or green ones that you see most often cook in 30-60 minutes, depending on their size and age, and they keep their shape throughout. The orange or salmon-colored ones cook in 15-30 minutes, and after a certain point they dissolve entirely, like split peas. In fact, to me they taste more like split peas than like the other lentils. There are also black lentils and white lentils, which also taste slightly different from the others; they're most often used (as are the orange ones) in Indian dishes, and may be whole or split.

All lentils need to be rinsed and picked over before you cook them, to remove the dust and debris that gets into most legumes and grains that are gathered in bulk. I usually put my lentils in a colander or strainer and then run cold water full blast through them from the tap until all the foaming stops and the water runs through clear.

The bean-weenie takes another bow. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Actually, if you want lots of information on all the legumes -- beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas -- I highly recommend The Bean Harvest Cookbook by Ashley Miller. It has lots of color pictures of the different varieties, as well as advice on growing, buying, and cooking -- and some great recipes. Also do a search on "lentil" here, for a few old threads with lentil recipes.

Cheers,
Phoebe

[This message has been edited by Ohioan (edited 02-01-2001).]

[SandyM]

Thank you, Oh Mighty Bean Weenie!! I love coming in here because I learn so much from you Phoebe!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif