Prepare a delicious lentil dish. Green lentil dishes: recipes with photos

Irina Kamshilina

Cooking for someone is much more pleasant than cooking for yourself))

Content

Lentils are soft beans that are sold dried. It can be consumed in the form of porridges, soups, side dishes, stews, and cutlets. But to achieve an unforgettable taste of a dish made from these beans, you need to know how to cook lentils. Modern recipes will allow you to achieve a delicious culinary masterpiece using a slow cooker or the traditional method on the stove.

How long to cook lentils until tender?

Before cooking lentils, you need to sort them, separating debris, pieces of earth, and husks. For convenience, place the beans on a white paper towel or plate. Place the prepared lentils in a sieve and rinse under cold running water for a minute. Having decided to cook porridge from these beans for the first time, many housewives have a question: do they need to soak the lentils before cooking? In order for the grains to retain their shape and not become too soft during cooking, they do not need to be soaked first.

Depending on the dish you are going to cook, the cooking time for lentils can range from 10 to 45 minutes. If you purchased chopped beans, then after 10-20 minutes you will get a porridge-like mass. These lentils cook quickly, so they are ideal for pureed soups. You can increase the cooking of whole beans to 45 minutes, leaving the lentils to simmer under the lid until completely softened.

Features of cooking red, black, green and yellow lentils

There are about 11 varieties of lentils, which differ in their color, grain shape, taste, and even cooking method. The popularity of this product is growing every year, so it is important to know the benefits of lentils and how to cook them. The benefits include iron, B vitamins, folic acid, potassium, carbohydrates, as a result of which lentils have become an integral part of the diet of all people. Regular consumption of dishes made from these beans is beneficial for:

• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• normalization of the urinary system.

First you need to decide what dish you are buying these beans for and what you are going to cook. If you plan to cook porridge, then you need to purchase French green or brown or black lentils. Beans of this color tend to retain the shape of the grains without turning into a puree-like mass. For soups and stews, you should use red, yellow, or orange lentils, since during the cooking process they quickly and strongly soften, turning into porridge.

How to cook lentils in a slow cooker

To prevent cooking dinner from taking up a lot of personal time, we recommend using a slow cooker. This unique multifunctional device will allow you to get the finished dish without additional difficulties. You need to prepare the necessary ingredients and place them in the multicooker bowl. For preparation you will need the following ingredients:

• washed green lentils – 1 multi-cup;
• water – 1 multi-glass;
• grain mustard – 1 tbsp. l.;
• sweet pepper – 1 pc.;
• freshly ground chili pepper - 1 tbsp. l.;
• finely chopped one celery root;
• canned corn – 200 g;
• tomato sauce – 4 tbsp. l.

The cooking process includes several stages:

1. Carefully place the indicated ingredients into the multicooker bowl and stir with a plastic spatula.
2. Modern multicookers are equipped with many functions, including the “Multicook” mode. Select this function, close the top lid of the device and you have one hour of free time while the equipment prepares a delicious lentil dish for you.

What dishes are prepared from lentils?

There are a large number of options for preparing lentil dishes. These beans can be used separately in the form of hearty porridges or in complex culinary creations. To diversify your breakfasts or surprise your family for dinner, prepare dishes based on lentils. You can make cutlets, a side dish for meat, and there are also recipes that tell in detail how to combine lentils with other types of cereals and vegetables.

Recommendation: To enhance the flavor of a cooked lentil dish, add a couple of bay leaves or a pinch of dried sage. You can also use celery root or leaves, parsley or rosemary. It is recommended to salt and pepper lentil dishes at the very end of cooking.

How to make puree soup

Puree soup is a soup with a thick consistency that needs to be prepared with a large amount of vegetables or cereals. To get the most healthy, tasty and satisfying dish, we recommend preparing lentil puree soup. Correct preparation depends on the accuracy of observing all proportions of the required ingredients. For this soup you will need:

• red lentil beans – 200 g;
• chicken broth - 2 cups;
• finely chopped red onion (medium) – 1 pc.;
• spoon of tomato paste;
• grated carrots – 1 pc.;
• a pinch of cumin and pepper;
• salt – 0.5 tsp;
• clove of garlic;
• a slice of lemon and mint leaves;
• immersion blender;
• pot.

The puree soup is prepared using the following technology:

1. In a large saucepan, combine lentils, broth, onion, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, pepper and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and beans are completely cooked through. This will take approximately 25 minutes.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and quickly puree the soup ingredients with an immersion blender. You should end up with a puree-like mass. When blending, be careful not to splatter the hot soup; use low speed.
4. Then you need to add salt and squeeze a slice of lemon. If desired, you can decorate the top with mint leaves.

Lentils with chicken

For a family dinner for two you will need:

• 300 grams of chicken breast;
• a glass of brown lentils;
• three glasses of water;
• a tablespoon of tomato paste;
• salt, pepper, cumin, curry;
• big onion.

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How to cook lentils deliciously

Lentils are soft beans, they are sold dried, to make them tasty, you need to know how to cook lentils. They use it in first courses, prepare side dishes, porridges, and meatballs. The best recipes will allow you to cook something that is not tasty, but also healthy, because beans are rich in proteins, iron, potassium, carbohydrates, and contain folic acid. You can cook them either in the classic way or in a slow cooker.

There are many varieties of lentils, and these beans come in different colors, flavors, and shapes. Different varieties are used in certain categories of dishes. Particularly popular are red, yellow, black, green, orange and brown lentils. Brown and black are used for preparing side dishes and porridges, since their grains retain their shape when cooked.

Red and yellow beans and orange lentils are good for first courses - these grains boil quickly when cooked; they are not suitable for porridges, as they can turn into puree, but in soups they cook quickly. Green plate lentils are large lentils, so they are suitable for light stews and salads, as well as for preparing a beautiful, aromatic side dish.

Before cooking the beans, you should sort them out - remove debris and husks; to make it more convenient, you can pour the lentils into a white bowl or on a white towel - this way the debris is more visible. Then transfer it to a sieve or colander and rinse under running water for a couple of minutes.

We prepare the product depending on its color - orange and red lentils are cooked for 15-20 minutes, they are well boiled and go into creamy soups. The brown one cooks for 25-30 minutes, retains its shape well and is used as a side dish. Green beans are boiled for 40-45 minutes; due to the dense consistency of green beans, they are good for making salads. Black lentils will be ready in 20-25 minutes; they go into porridge. Yellow - after 10-15 minutes, most often it is used in the first.

In pureed soups you can use chopped lentils, they will cook in just ten to twenty minutes, they are cheaper, and the shape of the beans in pureed soups is not important.

To add piquancy to lentil dishes, it is good to add bay leaf, celery roots and greens, parsley, sprigs of fresh rosemary, thyme, and season with nutmeg - beans go well with spices. The correct way to cook lentils is to salt dishes with them at the very end, 5 minutes before the end of cooking, this is the rule for cooking all legumes - they cook longer in salted water.

Multicooker recipes

Lentils are prepared simply and quickly using a multicooker; you don’t even have to think about how to cook correctly, because the multicooker does it itself. All the recipes here are based on the same principle - you just need to take prepared beans and other products in the volumes that these recipes provide, place all the ingredients in a multi-bowl, carefully mix with a plastic spatula, close the lid, select the “Multi-cook” mode, and after an hour - a magnificent aromatic dish is ready.

It’s worth experimenting with a multicooker, making changes to recipes or adding them to your own taste, each time creating a new lentil culinary masterpiece.

Green lentils with corn

To prepare this dish you will need:

• green variety – 1 multi-glass;
• 1 multi-glass of cold water;
• 1 sweet pepper;
• 1 chopped celery root;
• 200 g corn – frozen or canned;
• 4 tablespoons of tomato paste (you can use adjika);
• 1 tablespoon mustard beans;
• A pinch of ground paprika or dried chili pepper.

Mix everything thoroughly in a multi-bowl, add water and simmer for 1 hour. If it is not salty enough, add more salt at the end of cooking.

Red lentil porridge

Red porridge with tomatoes is an excellent dish for the whole family. To prepare it you will need the following products:

• 1 multi cup red beans;
• 2 multi-glasses of water;
• 2-3 tomatoes (or tomato paste);
• 1 onion;
• 1 carrot;
• 2 cloves of garlic;
• – 3 tablespoons;
• Coarse salt – 1 teaspoon;
• Ground black pepper - a pinch.

Drain the washed beans well, pour boiling water over the fresh tomatoes, immerse them in ice water for two seconds, remove the skins and puree, wash and peel the carrots and onions, finely chop the onions, grate the carrots. Pour oil into the multi-bowl and simmer the vegetables for 7-10 minutes, at the end add the garlic, crushed to a paste. Add lentils, add grated tomatoes, pour water. Mix the ingredients carefully. Cook on the “porridge” position for 20-25 minutes. At the end of cooking, add salt and pepper to the dish.

Cooking on the stove

No matter what recipe you use to cook lentil beans, there are two ways to cook them on the stovetop.

Cold method: for 1 volume of lentils of any color, take 2 volumes of unboiled water and coarse salt - at the rate of 1 tsp. for three glasses of these products. Sort the lentils, rinse, pour into a bowl, add water and bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and, covering the pan, bring to readiness. Cook for as many minutes as it takes to cook the variety. Add salt shortly before the end of cooking. If you cook it as a salad or as a side dish, drain the water at the end of cooking; for porridge and purees, leave the liquid.

Hot method: for 1 volume of any beans - 2 volumes of unboiled water, coarse salt - at the rate of 1 tsp. for three glasses of food. Sort the lentils and rinse. Boil water, add the prepared beans, cook until tender in a closed pan, and when finished cooking, add salt. How to cook lentil soup - the following dish ideas will tell you.

Orange Lentil Soup

Cream soup made from the orange variety is popular in Eastern countries. Will need:

• 0.5 cups orange beans;
• 2.5 liters of water;
• Potatoes – 3 pcs.;
• 1 carrot;
• 1 onion;
• Low fat cream;
• Salt, black pepper;
• Parsley sprigs.

Boil salted and peppered water. Wash and peel the potatoes and carrots, chop into cubes and finely chop the onion. Sort the beans, rinse, place them with the vegetables in boiling water, cook over low heat for 20-25 minutes. At the end of cooking, beat until creamy. Serve with cream and parsley leaves. This soup will turn into a dietary dish if you replace the potatoes with celery stalks.

Red Lentil Soup

Thick Red Lentil Soup This flavor-packed soup is made with lots of beans and vegetables in a little water. Required components:

• 200 g red beans;
• 2 cups meat broth;
• Red onion;
• 1 carrot;
• Spoon of tomato;
• Black pepper and ground cumin seeds - a pinch, salt to taste;
• A couple of cloves of garlic;
• Mint, lemon juice.

Sort the lentils, rinse, grate the carrots and garlic, chop the onion as finely as possible. Place the main ingredients into the broth, add tomato sauce, and add spices. Let it boil, then cook over low heat for 30 minutes until all ingredients are well cooked. Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender on low speed to avoid spattering the soup and puree the ingredients. Season the finished soup with salt, when serving, squeeze lemon juice into a plate and garnish with mint leaves.

Lentil porridges are incredibly satisfying. Due to their nutritional value, they were present on the menu of Egyptian workers - pyramid builders. The product is in harmony with white meat and mushrooms.

Brown lentil porridge

Brown bean porridge with chicken and mushrooms, for eating you need:

• A glass of brown beans;
• Water – 2.5 glasses;
• 500 g chicken;
• 250 g champignons;
• A couple of onions;
• A little vegetable oil for frying;
• Paprika powder, a pinch of black pepper, salt.

Sort the lentils, rinse, place in a cooking vessel, add water, cook for about half an hour. Lightly fry the mushrooms and chopped onions. Cut the chicken into small cubes, fry in hot oil until light brown, place with mushrooms and onions, add spices, a couple of tablespoons of water and simmer for three minutes. Puree the beans or leave them whole, add to the mushrooms and chicken and place in the oven for 10 minutes.

Black lentil porridge

Black bean porridge with chicken is a delicious dish made from black beans and chicken fillet. We take:

• Black variety - glass;
• Chicken fillet – 350 g;
• 600 ml water;
• A pair of bulbs;
• Tomato sauce – 25 g;
• Pepper, ground cumin seeds, curry, salt;
• For frying - a little oil.

The fillets are cut coarsely, fried for ten minutes with onions, and tomato sauce is added to them at the last minute. The beans are cooked for a quarter of an hour. Afterwards, they are combined with chicken, sprinkled with curry and baked in the oven for about seven minutes.

Stew with yellow lentils

An appetizing stew with yellow lentils looks elegant - you will need:

• A glass of yellow beans;
• 600 ml water;
• Meat, poultry or vegetable broth – 200 ml;
• 2 potato tubers;
• 1 carrot;
• A pair of garlic cloves;
• Curry;
• For frying - a little oil.

Boil yellow lentil beans. Heat crushed garlic, grated ginger and curry in hot oil. Chop the vegetables into cubes, place in a frying pan, and simmer for five minutes. Place the beans there, add the broth, and simmer for about five more minutes. Serve garnished with a wedge of lime. The green (plate) variety is suitable for many dishes. Beans of this variety make beautiful and tasty meatballs. They will need:

• Half a glass of plated lentils;
• 1 carrot;
• Red onion;
• - 2 pcs.;
• A few cloves of garlic - to taste;
• A pinch of ground cumin and coriander;
• Coarse salt;
• Vegetable oil for frying;
• Fresh parsley.

Boil the beans for 45 minutes, remove from the water, let cool and puree. Finely chop the onion, grate the carrots and garlic, stir them into the puree with cumin and coriander. Beat the eggs into the mixture, add salt and mix, making the mixture homogeneous. Form the minced meat into flat round balls and fry in a hot frying pan for three to four minutes on each side until light brown. Serve lentil balls, garnished with parsley sprigs, with sour cream.

Just 100 years ago in Russia, lentils were not only found everywhere on the tables of both rich and poor, but were also exported to many countries around the world. However, not everyone knew how to cook lentils to create a delicious dish.

The oldest agricultural crop of the legume family has been known since Neolithic times; it appeared in Rus' in the 14th century and was the basis for many dishes. Now they have forgotten about the queen of legumes, but in vain!

The nutritional value of lentils is enormous, containing more than sixty percent vegetable protein and a wide range of minerals and trace elements. It is not for nothing that among the monks in Rus' it was the main source of nutrition during Lent; many dishes can be prepared from it: soups, pastries, side dishes.

From a medical point of view, the queen of beans is simply a storehouse of health. It strengthens the immune system and improves metabolism. Regular consumption will not only improve the health of the body, but also cure many ailments.

1. Normalizes blood sugar levels, which means it is useful for patients with diabetes.
2. Rich in B vitamins, which act as an antioxidant and protect the body from the effects of toxins, alcohol and nicotine poisoning.
3. With gastritis and ulcers, pain subsides and heartburn disappears.
4. Prevention of oncology – prevents the formation of cancer cells.
5. Useful for nervous disorders, a kind of depressant.

The list goes on and on. Moreover, lentils also have cosmetic properties, are indispensable in diets, and are also very useful for women’s health during pregnancy and in solving gynecological problems.

So colorful!

There are several varieties of lentils.

1. Brown. The most common type, rich in iron, prevents anemia. It is mainly used to make soups. It has a nutty aroma and is good in combination with meat.
2. Red, or Egyptian. It is practically devoid of shell, so it boils instantly. It is recommended to make purees, pates, and soups from it.
3. Puy, or green. Rich in fiber, the variety was bred in the French city of Puy. It has a subtle aroma and smell of pepper. It is not subject to overcooking and is recommended for adding to salads.
4. Yellow. Polished green lentils. Used for pureed dishes.
5. Black, or Beluga. It is small in size and looks like black caviar. Contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, which means it helps with colds. Often used for salads, useful when sprouted. After cooking, it retains its shape and, due to its unusual color, adds piquancy and originality to dishes.

Place the prepared cereal in boiling water and cook over low heat, remembering to stir. Tomatoes should be salted or added at the end 5-10 minutes before readiness, since a salty or acidified environment doubles the cooking time.

During the cooking process, it is advisable to add spices and a little oil, preferably olive oil. This will make the grains more tender and soft, as well as more aromatic.

How long will it take

Each variety has a different cooking time. Of course, you can constantly test for softness and taste, but it is better to remember or write down how long to cook the lentils until tender, depending on the color.

Red and yellow cook very quickly, on average 15 minutes. Brown and black will be ready in 25 minutes. And cooking green takes from 45 minutes to an hour.

You can cook not only on the stove, so it is important to know how long lentils are cooked depending on the cooking method:

• multicooker – 50 min.;
• microwave – 7-12 minutes;
• steamer – 1 hour.

How much water do you need

For side dishes, use two parts of water for one part of cereal. Try to strictly maintain a 1:2 ratio to avoid undercooked or overcooked lentils.

If you use a microwave oven or a double boiler, then it is enough for the water to be 1-2 cm above the grain level.

It has long been firmly established in our lives; it allows you to quickly prepare dishes in automatic mode. However, not every housewife knows how to cook lentils.

Use the “Stew” and “Porridge” modes. If a dish consists of several ingredients, then the legumes should be added last.

Lentils with mushrooms are prepared as follows.

1. Turn on the “Frying” mode, pour sunflower oil into a container, add a finely chopped onion and a couple of cloves of garlic, bring to a transparent state.
2. Fry a dozen randomly chopped champignons or other mushrooms with onions for several minutes. Salt, seasonings and spices to taste.
3. Add one glass of prepared lentils to the mushrooms and pour two glasses of boiling water.
4. We switch to the “Extinguishing” mode and set the time to 50 minutes.
5. After the readiness signal, it is advisable to leave it on automatic heating for another 20 minutes.

In this way you can cook lentils with meat, chicken, and vegetables. Be sure to use spices, they reveal the taste and aroma brighter.

Features of microwave cooking

Many housewives do not know that in a microwave oven you can not only defrost food or heat food, but also cook.

Pour red or yellow lentils into a special bowl, add salt, add spices and add hot water so that it covers the beans by 1.5-2 cm. Place in the microwave, no need to close the lid. Set to maximum mode and cook for 7-10 minutes. The lentils turn out crumbly, the grains are whole and elastic.

Cooking in a steamer

When cooking in a double boiler, beneficial vitamins and minerals are preserved, dishes are guaranteed not to burn, and the porridge turns out crumbly. The peculiarity of cooking is that it requires less water than with the usual method of cooking in a saucepan.

Place one and a half glasses of any lentils in a container, pour in a glass of water, add butter, spices and salt to taste. Set the time to 1 hour. After cooking, taste it; to achieve the required softness, you can add a few more minutes.

How to cook lentils so that they are healthy and tasty? There are many recipes, add your imagination, don’t be afraid to experiment, and you can please your loved ones with unusual dishes.

Porridge

It is equally good as an independent dish or as a side dish for meat or fish.

1. Pour well-washed yellow or red grains into boiling water in a ratio of one to two.
2. Cook until done. In 5-7 minutes, do not forget to add salt and spices and seasonings.
3. Drain off excess water and leave to simmer under the lid.
4. Fry onions and carrots in vegetable oil until golden brown.
5. Mix the frying with lentils, add butter to taste.

Before serving, sprinkle the porridge with finely chopped herbs.

Puree

Throw the lentils into boiling water in a ratio of 1:2. Cook for about 15 minutes with the addition of a spoon of vegetable oil, so the beans will be softer and more tender. Finally add salt and spices. To make the puree smooth, beat or pass through a sieve.

Serve the puree with fresh vegetables and herbs. A mint leaf in a plate will add a special taste.

Soup

How to cook brown lentils? What to cook? Try lentil soup - a hearty dish rich in proteins and microelements. In the cold season, it saturates, warms, adds piquancy and a touch of exoticism.

This is the recipe for the classic soup.

1. Boil one glass of lentils in two glasses of water for 20 minutes.
2. Finely chop the carrots and onions and fry in vegetable oil.
3. Combine vegetables with lentils, add a pinch of turmeric, cumin, red and black pepper. Add some salt.
4. Simmer over low heat until the lentils are soft.
5. Use a blender to ensure smoothness and tenderness.
6. Add six cups of strong meat or vegetable broth.
7. Season with butter, sprinkle with chopped herbs and ground paprika.

Exotic green and black lentils

Black lentils are also called Beluga. The grains are shiny, rich in color, very similar to black caviar, hence the nickname. This is a rather expensive product, as it is characterized by labor-intensive harvesting.

Sprouted black lentils are very healthy; they are added to salads. When boiled, it has a solid shape and a pleasant, subtle taste. Beluga looks exotic on sandwiches. In Europe, delicious soups and delicious sauces are prepared from it, and in Asian countries it is mixed with rice or added to vegetable stews.

Green lentils were bred in France, in the small town of Puy, so they are sometimes called French or after the name of the city. It has a subtle, spicy flavor and unusual flavor tones. Many gourmets consider this variety to be the most delicious of all. It retains its shape perfectly when cooked and is recommended for preparing gourmet dishes. It is best added to salads.

The Puy variety is not always available, so its analogue is slightly unripe lentils. It is brown-green in color and does not boil soft. It is easy to distinguish it from Puy; French lentils have a marbled pattern on the grains.

1. Lentil grains should be uniform in shape and color. If there are small holes on its surface, it means that insects like it and are no longer suitable for food.
2. Do not mix beans purchased at different times, even if they are the same variety. Older lentils will take longer to cook.
3. For vegetable soup, add the lentils first and cook until half cooked, then add the rest of the ingredients.
4. If you are preparing lentil soup based on meat broth, cook the meat first and then add the beans.
5. To make the porridge crumbly, cook it, drain off excess water and leave to swell under the lid.
6. Bay leaves, sage, rosemary, and cloves go well with lentils, and onions, carrots, tomatoes, and garlic go well with vegetables.
7. It is better to add spices earlier, the taste will be more pronounced.
8. Cooked lentils can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
9. To avoid flatulence, add cloves.

Let's sum it up

Now you know how healthy and nutritious lentils are. Don’t neglect it, and your diet will be replenished with delicious dishes.

Lentils are a dietary product, low in calories and indispensable for a slim figure. You can use it to make not only soups and cereals, but also bread, salads, pastries, cutlets and even candies.

This amazing plant is not able to accumulate toxins and does not lose its healing properties even after heat treatment. It’s not for nothing that lentils are called the queen of beans.

Eat it with pleasure and be healthy!

Due to their beneficial properties, beans have long been included in the diet; lentil grains, from which side dishes and porridges are prepared, are considered especially popular. Considering that this legume has different varieties, many housewives will undoubtedly have a question: “how to properly cook lentils”? In fact, there are no difficulties in this, the main thing is to know exactly how much each type of grain is cooked, and what cooking features it has.

Not only ordinary porridges can be made from lentil grains. No less popular are side dishes made from these legumes. The technology for creating the dish itself is simple; you just need to decide in advance what type of lentil it will be prepared from - red, brown, black or green. This will help you quickly make a light, low-calorie lunch or dinner.

It is believed that red grains are not suitable for garnish, since they tend to boil quickly, taking on the appearance of a puree. But, nevertheless, the red variety has a pleasant spicy taste, and this is the most important condition for preparing such a tasty dish.

Ingredients

• Red lentils – 150 gr.
• Tomatoes – 2 pcs.
• Meat broth – 100 gr.
• Onions – 1 pc.
• Carrots – 1 pc.
• Garlic – 1-2 cloves.
• Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp. l.
• Thyme – 2 sprigs (use only greens).

Spices for garnish(added to taste): ground black pepper, rosemary (dried), chili, paprika (red), salt, turmeric.

How to prepare a side dish

1. Wash and peel the vegetables.
2. Cut the onion into half rings.
3. Three carrots on a fine (or medium) grater.
4. Pour the slices into a frying pan, pour vegetable oil over the vegetables and fry them for no more than 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned. Sauté everything over medium heat.
5. Soak the red lentil plates in water for a few minutes.
6. We make cuts on the surface of the tomatoes, after which we place the fruits in boiling water for a couple of minutes.
7. Remove the skins from the tomatoes and cut the vegetables into small cubes.
8. Place the tomato slices in a frying pan with onions and carrots, and continue sautéing the vegetables for another 3 minutes over medium heat.
9. Add salt, lentils and meat broth to the sauté. Mix everything and simmer the vegetables for 2 minutes.
10. We pass the garlic through a press, then add it along with the herbs and other spices to the side dish.
11. Finally, simmer the beans and vegetables for another 5-7 minutes over low heat, after which the dish can be considered ready.

Serve the red lentil side dish hot. It is best served together with fish or meat dishes. It is advisable to serve the beans with sauce or ketchup; you can even make a dressing for the side dish from the red lentils themselves.

Ingredients

• - 5 glasses + -
• - 1.5 cups + -
• - 1 piece + -
• - on the tip of a knife + -
• - 1 piece + -
• — 1 tsp or to taste + -
• — 0.5 tsp or to taste + -
• - 1-2 tbsp. + -
• - 2 cloves + -
• Thyme - 2 sprigs + -

How to cook lentils deliciously

It’s not difficult to prepare a tasty green variety; the main thing is to know exactly how long to cook the grains so that they do not lose their shape.

Since green lentils take the longest to cook of all the popular types of this legume, many housewives avoid them when preparing a side dish. However, green plates taste no worse than the red and brown varieties, so they can be safely added to vegetable or meat side dishes.

1. A few hours before cooking, soak the bean grains: pour water into a saucepan and pour the lentils into it. Be sure to add some salt to the water.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan, then add pressed garlic to it for frying. You can also chop the garlic cloves by hand.
3. When after 30 sec. Stew the garlic in vegetable oil - reduce the heat to a minimum flame and put a piece of butter in the frying pan.
4. When the butter melts, add finely chopped carrots and onions to a preheated frying pan. Simmer until the cut becomes pleasantly soft and has a beautiful transparent color.
5. Remove the lentils that were previously soaked from the water as soon as they “swell” and become soft. It is important not to overexpose it and prevent it from losing its shape.
6. Place the lentil grains in a frying pan, add chopped thyme (use only the leaves) and fry everything over high heat. Do not forget to stir the side dish.

Serve the finished dish exceptionally hot. Before serving, you can sprinkle it with fresh finely chopped herbs or aromatic spices. You shouldn’t store boiled lentils for a long time, even as part of a side dish. It is better to eat the prepared portions on the day of preparation.

From this variety of legumes it is easy to make a delicious dinner for the whole family in just 30 minutes. Brown grains cook faster than others, but there are a lot of features in their preparation, knowledge of which cannot be avoided. Therefore, we will tell you in detail how to prepare dark lentils in a step-by-step recipe.

Ingredients

• Brown lentils – 1 cup;
• Tomato paste – 3 tbsp. l.;
• Boiled rice (basmati) – 4 cups;
• Garlic – 3 cloves;
• Red onion – 2 cups;
• Salt – ¼ tsp;
• Vegetable (or olive) oil – 2 tsp;
• Cilantro (fresh) – ¼ cup;
• Vegetable broth - 3 cups;
• Spices - to taste.

Preparation

1. Soak the brown lentil grains in water in advance.
2. We wash and peel the vegetables.
3. Finely chop the onion, garlic and cilantro.
4. Heat the oil in a saucepan over low heat.
5. Add chopped onion to the heated bowl and simmer it, stirring occasionally. Extinguishing time – 15 minutes.
6. When the onion softens in the pan, add the garlic, which we also saute over the fire for 5 minutes.
7. Fill the roast with 3 tbsp. l. tomato paste, and sprinkle everything on top with spices. It is advisable that the seasoning be spicy; you can use a mixture of spices, for example, “Berbere”. Simmer the vegetables with seasoning and paste for another 1 minute.
8. Pour vegetable broth over the ingredients and bring them to a boil over high heat.
9. As soon as the grains are softened, transfer them to a saucepan, cover with a lid and cook for 20-25 minutes.
10. After cooking the lentils until tender, salt them to taste. After this, mix the prepared beans with boiled rice and serve the side dish to the table.
11. Laying out the dish into portions, decorate it with cilantro or any other greens.

You can serve the side dish not only with fresh vegetables, but also with fresh or pickled mushrooms, stewed chicken, fish or beef.

Soak

To soak or not

Whether it is necessary to soak lentils before cooking is the most common question among most housewives. There is an opinion that lentil grains are one of the few types of legumes that do not need to be soaked. This is true, but not a single grain of beans has yet suffered from “bathing” in water.

It is important not to forget that lentil plates lying in home bins become dry over time, and therefore they desperately need a fresh sip of water.

How long to soak lentils

Another, no less important, question that interests housewives is how long should lentils be soaked?

If the ripened grains are several months old, then 8 hours will be enough, but if the lentils have been lying around for six months, or even a year, then the soaking time can be increased to 12-24 hours. The longer the product sits, the more it will soak.

However, it is worth noting that it is not necessary to soak the plates for that long. Sometimes, it is enough to immerse the grains in water for just a few minutes so that they soften a little and regain their original shape.

Table of calorie content and cooking time for lentils

Not all housewives know well how much to cook brown, red, green and black lentils (another name is beluga lentils). One thing is certain: they have different cooking times and calories.

To make cooking simple and bring only pleasure, use the table below, which shows the calories of known types of lentils and the time it takes them to cook until tender.

Now you know how to cook different types of lentils. All the secrets for its preparation are easily applied in practice. Prepare a variety of stand-alone dishes from bean grains or add lentils as an additional ingredient to a side dish. May your cooking be successful and your lentil treat amazingly delicious.

Bon appetit!

Tasty, healthy, satisfying, fast. These are the words that can be used to describe such a crop as lentils, the recipes for which were already known to our grandmothers. In terms of protein content, lentils are almost equal to meat. Therefore, it is not surprising that dishes made from it are very nutritious. In addition, they are suitable for those who fast. After tasting lentil porridge, you can have a hearty dinner and get the required amount of protein. But at the same time, do not violate the “meat” ban. Moreover, porridge is far from the only option for preparing lentils. It can be used for both first and second courses. And also as an independent side dish or component for salads.

Some subtleties of cooking lentils

There are several varieties of lentils, which differ in color and cooking time:

Almost all recipes for cooking lentils do not involve soaking them. On the one hand, this procedure is not necessary, because small fruits cook quickly without it. However, do not forget that lentils are legumes. This means that it is quite heavy for the stomach, especially if it is weak. Pre-soaking will help “neutralize” the negative impact, and the food will be easier to digest.

Any spice will go well with lentils, but it is better to use those that will help the body absorb it. These are coriander, turmeric, black pepper.

There are many options for what to eat lentils with. Green varieties go well with fish, red varieties go well with smoked meat and liver, black varieties go well with any meat. And you can combine all types of this crop with vegetables.

Lentils - recipes for first and second courses

Lentils make hearty soups and delicate porridges with an interesting taste, especially if you add spices. They will highlight the individual flavor notes of the legume. They will also help the body absorb it faster and better. For lunch you can serve boiled soup with orange lentils, and for dinner - porridge or bean cutlets as a side dish. For breakfast, you can make a nutritious salad by adding lentils to it.

Lentil soup

Lenten soup is suitable for those who are watching their figure or adhering to strict fasting. There is no meat, only vegetables and lentils. But thanks to the latter, the dish turns out nutritious and high in protein. It can often be found among dietary recipes.

Preparing the soup does not take much time:

1. Rinse 0.5 cups of orange lentils in cold water. Pour 2 liters of water, cook for 15 minutes.
2. While the beans are cooking, cut 3 potatoes into strips. Fry them in a frying pan in vegetable oil.
3. In a separate frying pan, sauté one onion and one carrot. Together with them, simmer 100 g of celery root, cut into strips.
4. Place the fried vegetables in the pan with the lentils.
5. Add to them 2 finely chopped garlic cloves and 2 tbsp. l. soy sauce.
6. Cook for 20 minutes, adding half a lemon, cut into slices, at the end.

When serving the soup in bowls, sprinkle with fresh herbs.

Lentil cutlets

If you have boiled lentils left, do not rush to throw them away, especially since they are far from cheap. Use leftovers for delicious cutlets. Their preparation is simple and familiar, as for a similar meat dish. It is not necessary to observe the proportions, and you can add spices based on your taste.

How to make cutlets step by step:

1. Fry onions and carrots in vegetable oil.
2. Place them in a bowl with boiled lentils.
3. Add 1 tbsp. l. mayonnaise, 2 tbsp. l. semolina, a pinch of chopped herbs. Add salt.
4. Using a blender, puree the mixture.
5. Use a spoon to form cutlets. Roll in flour and fry on both sides in sunflower oil until crusty.

For cutlets, it is better to use red lentils. It is advisable to first soak the beans overnight and cook for 20 minutes.

Salad with lentils, vegetables and cheese

Just one small portion of this salad will allow you to forget about hunger until at least lunch. It is very filling, but at the same time juicy thanks to fresh tomatoes. And the original dressing gives the salad an amazing aroma.

For the salad, the first step is to boil the lentils until fully cooked. 100 g of raw beans is enough. It is better to use a variety with green fruits - they do not lose their shape and remain intact. The finished lentils must cool down, because the dish will be “cold”.

In addition, you will first need to make a flavorful dressing. In order for the ingredients included in it to reveal their aroma and taste, the dressing must stand for at least 15 minutes.

For salad dressing you need:

• chop a little hot red pepper (to taste; if you don’t like its heat, you can skip this step);
• finely chop 3-4 fresh leaves;
• pass 1-2 cloves of garlic through the garlic;
• mix all ingredients, pour 2 tbsp. l. olive oil.

The dressing can be used not only for lentil salad. It is suitable for many summer salads with vegetables. It will also add a spicy note and additional juiciness to dishes with added meat.

While the dressing is infusing, chop 10 and 2 green onions. “Plane” 50 g of hard cheese on a vegetable peeler into thin layers. All that remains is to add the lentils, dressing and mix well, adding salt to taste.

How to cook lentils in a slow cooker

Most bean varieties cook quickly. But if you have a multicooker in your kitchen, you will need even less time. What’s important is that you don’t need to look in and check. Having chosen the desired program and added the prepared products, after a while a delicious dinner will be ready.

The “Porridge”, “Rice”, “Buckwheat” modes are suitable for cooking lentils. It can also be done in the “Extinguishing” mode by setting the timer for 30 – 40 minutes.

To prepare hearty lentil porridge, you need:

1. Sort and rinse 200 g of lentils well. You can use orange, then the porridge will be more boiled. Or green for whole beans. By the way, you can then add them to the salad.
2. Pour the lentils into a bowl and add 0.5 liters of water.
3. Add a little olive oil for taste (10 tbsp is enough).
4. Activate the “Porridge” or “Stew” mode.
5. After the multicooker signals the end of cooking, add salt and stir the porridge.

Now you are familiar with lentils, which are unique in their properties, the recipes for which are not all presented. There are still a lot of them, and every housewife can choose a dish to suit her taste. Moreover, lentils will not add extra pounds to your figure, but will provide the body with vitamins and minerals.

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