How to cook lentils a simple recipe. How to cook lentils

Unfortunately, lentils are not very common, largely due to lack of knowledge of recipes and characteristics.

Several of the world's most popular varieties can be roughly divided into green, red and brown lentils.

Yes, very simple, much simpler than other legumes.

The colors of lentils differ in cooking time: green - it takes a little longer to cook, but it practically does not boil over. Red and brown lentils cook much faster: dropped into boiling water, these lentils will cook in 20-25 minutes. Lentils, unlike their relatives peas and beans, do not need to be soaked. When cooking, it is not salted, like all legumes, since salt will slow down the process.

Before you start cooking lentils, you need to sort them out and rinse them in several waters. Boil by adding twice as much water: for a glass of lentils - 2 glasses of water. During the cooking process, you need to stir the lentils a couple of times. There are no special tricks in preparation, but the result is unexpected.

No. 1. The easiest lentils - lentil soup.

Very filling and nutritious soups This product is prepared very simply, according to the usual “soup” scheme: put chopped potatoes and sorted and washed lentils into a saucepan, add water (boiling water is a good idea). While the base is cooking, fry onions and carrots; tomato is welcome, but does not dominate. When the potatoes are ready (about 15 minutes from the start of boiling), add onions and carrots, spices, including salt and pepper. That's all! When serving, sprinkle with herbs. You can serve it with croutons, but it’s also good without them.

Soups are perfectly varied by adding other ingredients, for example, pumpkin, pre-fried with onions and carrots, pickles or tomatoes (preferably green and strong), all kinds of smoked meats, sausages, of course - natural meat, leeks, cheese. Listing can take a lot of space and time. It all depends on the imagination and capabilities of the hostess.

No. 2. for second courses.

The basis of the second course is almost always boiled lentils, which, when ready, are thrown into a colander, allowing the water to drain, and then seasoned to taste, stewed with other ingredients, baked, that is, brought to complete readiness.

It is good to cook lentils for main courses by adding onions (chopped or whole) and garlic ( better whole), herbs tied in a bunch, spices that you like best. The sacred rite occurs at almost full readiness lentils. We strain the liquid and get creative.

A good, very simple recipe for cooking lentils: fry a few sausages (cut as you like), you can add bacon or lard, throw the lentils into the frying pan and simmer lightly under a lid over low heat. At the end, you can add cream or sour cream, or you can do without it. As a change: this dish tastes great sweet and sour berries and fruits, for example, plums, cherry plums, currants, acquiring completely unusual taste and view.

Another simple recipe cooking lentils: finished product mix with fried onions, a clove of garlic, passed through a press, spices to taste, form cutlets, roll in flour (preferably in lezone) and fry until brown. With Chili or Tartar sauce - great both cold and hot.

Lentils with meat can take a dominant place on the table. It is better to bring the meat almost completely cooked in advance, then add the lentils.

Sprinkle the leg with flour, place it in a thick-walled vessel (such as a cauldron or a duck pot), which already contains a finely chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic, fill it with water or broth and cook over low heat for about 1 hour after boiling. The so-called simmering of lamb. After an hour, open, add lentils (4 legs - 300 grams), add tomatoes - fresh or stewed, spices, salt, you can add or simply fried, red sweet pepper and cook for another 30 minutes, covered, over low heat. At the very end, sprinkle generously a large number chopped parsley. A couple more minutes - and the smell will drive anyone who comes close to such a dish crazy!

With pork or beef, the procedure is the same: almost ready meat plus lentils plus additives from the housewife-craftswoman - and simmer over low heat until fully cooked.

Mushrooms are perfect as an additive: fried, stewed, with or without onions, mushrooms perfectly complement lentils.

No. 3. Lentils in salads.

Green (French) lentils are perfect for salads; they practically do not boil over and are in perfect harmony with other ingredients.

Boiled green lentils resemble coins. Therefore, here is a recipe for “Money Salad” that can be prepared for any occasion (and without it).

Boil a glass of green lentils (see previous recipes). Steam a handful of dried apricots, cut into strips and fry with one onion in vegetable oil. handful walnuts grind. Add strained lentils, nuts, salt, pepper, spices to taste to the frying pan with onions and dried apricots, simmer a little under tightly closed lid(4-5 minutes). Cool. Salad with “coins” is ready!

With the current availability of information, everyone can choose their own own recipe cooking lentils, this undeservedly forgotten magnificent product!

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 unforgettable taste dishes made from these beans, you need to know how to cook lentils. Modern recipes will allow you to achieve amazing culinary masterpiece when using a multicooker or traditional way 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 use dishes made from these beans are beneficial for:

diseases 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 avoid taking up a lot of personal time, we recommend using a multicooker. This unique multifunctional device will allow you to get ready dish without additional difficulties. You need to prepare necessary ingredients and place them in the multicooker bowl. For cooking you will need 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:

Ingredients listed carefully place in the multicooker bowl and stir with a plastic spatula.
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 options for preparing lentil dishes large number. These beans can be used separately as hearty porridge or prepare complex culinary works. 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 hearty dish, we recommend preparing lentil cream soup. Correct preparation depends on the accuracy of all proportions. necessary ingredients. For this soup you will need:

red lentil beans – 200 g;
chicken broth– 2 glasses;
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:

In a large saucepan, combine lentils, broth, onion, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, pepper and bring to a boil over high fire.
Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables and beans are completely cooked through. This will take approximately 25 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and quickly soften the soup ingredients with an immersion blender. You should end up with a puree-like mass. When blending, be careful not to splatter the blender. hot soup, use low speed.
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.

We'll tell you step by step, using chicken meat.

Prepare chicken breast, having previously removed the fillet meat from bones and skin.
Cut the meat into large pieces and fry with chopped onion and tomato paste. Cook the chicken breast for about 10 minutes.
Then boil the lentils for 15 minutes.
Combine all ingredients in a heat-resistant bowl and place in the oven to bake for another 10 minutes.
To give the dish a beautiful color and rich taste, add a teaspoon of curry.

How to deliciously cook lentils with vegetables

Lentils go well with all vegetables. You can cook it with potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkin, and onions. But in order to do this, you need to prepare the following components:

two large potatoes;
ginger root;
clove of garlic;
one carrot;
curry – 1 tbsp;
one glass of red lentils;
three glasses of water;
broth - 1 glass;
vegetable oil;
deep frying pan.

First you need to boil the lentils for 10-15 minutes until half cooked.
Then put chopped garlic, ginger and curry into a heated frying pan.
After a couple of minutes, add the carrots and potatoes, which were previously cut into cubes. You need to cook for about 5 minutes.
Then place the lentils in the pan and pour the broth over everything.
After five minutes, you can serve, garnishing with a slice of lime on top.

How to make lentil porridge correctly

Lentil porridge They are distinguished by the presence of a large number of vitamins. To properly prepare such porridge, you need to strictly adhere to the proportions. You need to cook in a ratio of 1:3, that is, pour three glasses into the pan for a glass of beans cold water. Also, do not use split beans for porridge because they quickly turn into puree. Add water to the lentils and cook for an average of 15 minutes. Cooking time may increase if you use black or brown lentils for porridge, which must be cooked for at least 25 minutes.

Lentil dishes for weight loss

The peculiarity of these beans is that they do not contain fat. The calorie content of cooked lentils reaches only 111 kcal. Therefore, you can use the lentil diet to normalize your weight. Daily use Porridge will promote rapid weight loss. The recipe is simple, so you can easily and quickly prepare it for breakfast. You will need:

red lentils – 100 g;
water – 3 glasses;
chopped half an onion;
carrots, grated – 1 pc.;
vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.;

Pour thoroughly washed beans cold water and set to cook for 15 minutes. Make a dressing for the porridge using vegetables in a frying pan, frying carrots and onions until golden brown. All ready ingredients connect and mix. For diet porridge do not use seasonings or salt. With this breakfast you will be full all day long and the diet will not cause difficulties in following it.

Lentil cutlets: the best recipe with photos

Traditional meat cutlets You can replace with lentils. The recipe is simple, so to repeat it you will need to cook everything for no more than 30 minutes. First you need to decide on the ingredients and kitchen appliances which need to be prepared in advance. To ensure everything goes quickly and accurately, adhere to the following list:

red or green lentils - half a cup.
salt coarse- a pinch.
two large eggs.
one cup breadcrumbs.
parsley - 2 sprigs.
olive oil – 2 tbsp.
red onion - 1 head.
one large carrot.
cumin – ½ tsp.
coriander – ½ tsp.
garlic – 3 cloves.
large frying pan.
spatula for turning cutlets.
bowl.
blender.

Cooking lentil cutlets consists of the following steps:

Pour three glasses of water over the lentils and bring to a boil. The entire cooking process will take about 20 minutes. Then drain the water and let cool completely in a separate bowl.

Place the remaining beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, diced red onion, eggs, breadcrumbs, coriander, cumin, grated coarse grater carrots and parsley. Mix everything until smooth.

Then heat large frying pan, after pouring oil on it. Form lentil cutlets small round shape, rolled lightly in breadcrumbs. Carefully place in the pan and fry on one side until crispy and browned. It takes approximately 4 minutes to cook. Then you need to turn the cutlets over reverse side and repeat the roasting process.

Remove the finished lentil cutlets from the frying pan into a separate container. When they have cooled, place them on large dish, pre-garnished with lettuce leaves. You can pour sour cream or mayonnaise on top of the cutlets, sprinkle with chopped red onion and parsley.

Video recipe: The most delicious lentil side dish

Lentil beans are ideal for cooking different dishes, and also as side dishes for meat and fish. To do this, you will need twenty minutes of free time and ingredients that are easy to find in your kitchen. If you don’t know, we recommend watching a video where the cook explains in detail amazing recipe preparing the side dish. The exact proportions of the necessary ingredients for this dish are also provided so that you can repeat it at home.

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; it contains more than sixty percent vegetable protein. wide range 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.

WITH medical point In my opinion, 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.

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

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

So colorful!

There are several varieties of lentils.

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.
Red, or Egyptian. It is practically devoid of shell, so it boils instantly. It is recommended to make purees, pates, and soups from it.
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.
Yellow. Sanded green lentils. Used for pureed dishes.
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 different times preparations. 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 legumes should be added last.

Lentils with mushrooms are prepared as follows.

Turn on the “Fry” mode, pour into the container sunflower oil, add a finely chopped onion and a couple of cloves of garlic, bring to a transparent state.
Fry a dozen randomly chopped champignons or other mushrooms with onions for several minutes. Salt, seasonings and spices to taste.
Add one glass of prepared lentils to the mushrooms and pour two glasses of boiling water.
We switch to the “Extinguishing” mode and set the time to 50 minutes.
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, salt, add spices and pour 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 steamer healthy vitamins and minerals are preserved, dishes are guaranteed not to burn, and porridges turn out crumbly. The peculiarity of the preparation is that it requires less water than with the usual way 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.

Pour well-washed yellow or red grains into boiling water in a ratio of one to two.
Cook until done. In 5-7 minutes, do not forget to add salt and spices and seasonings.
Drain excess water and leave to simmer under the lid.
Fry onions and carrots in vegetable oil until golden brown.
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 spoonful of vegetable oil, this will make the beans 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 greens. Special taste add a mint leaf to the plate.

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.

Recipe classic soup that's how it is.

Boil one glass of lentils in two glasses of water for 20 minutes.
Finely chop the carrots and onions and fry in vegetable oil.
Combine vegetables with lentils, add a pinch of turmeric, cumin, red and black pepper. Add some salt.
Simmer over low heat until the lentils are soft.
Use a blender to ensure smoothness and tenderness.
Add six cups of strong meat or vegetable broth.
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 color, are 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 useful; they are added to salads. When boiled, it has a solid shape and a pleasant, subtle taste. Beluga looks exotic on sandwiches. In Europe it is used to prepare delicious soups, gourmet sauces, 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. Retains its shape perfectly when cooked and is recommended for cooking 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 has marble pattern on grains.

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.
Do not mix beans purchased at different times, even if they are the same variety. Older lentils will take longer to cook.
For vegetable soup The lentils are thrown in first and cooked until half cooked, and then the rest of the products are added.
If you are making lentil soup based on meat broth, then cook the meat first, and then add the beans.
To make the porridge crumbly, cook it, drain off excess water and leave to swell under the lid.
Goes great with lentils bay leaf, sage, rosemary, cloves, and vegetables - onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic.
It is better to add spices earlier, the taste will be more pronounced.
Cooked lentils can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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 dietary product, has low calorie content and is indispensable for 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!

As long as human civilization has existed, people have been growing and eating lentils. This legume thermophilic, therefore Slavic peoples you won't see her in folk cuisines. But in the Mediterranean countries it is used everywhere and in honor as an inexpensive, healthy and easy-to-prepare product. And most importantly, very tasty! After all, it is for lentil soup, not for honey cakes, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob (Genesis: 25). In our country, these small beans, similar to peas, can be bought in almost all supermarkets. In this article we will talk about how to cook delicious lentils, what secrets you need to know so as not to overcook it, and what variety you need to choose for different dishes.

Benefits and calorie content of the product

Lentils have very little fat - only 2 g per 100 g of product, but they are high in protein and carbohydrates - 21 g and 49 g, respectively. At the same time it is quite nutritious product. His energy value- 298 calories. Lentils contain protein that is easily digestible in the body. This type of legume also contains boron, iodine, potassium, calcium, cobalt, manganese and copper, iron and zinc, cobalt and molybdenum. Lentils are also rich in isoflavones - substances that are useful for the prevention of breast cancer. Contained in it folic acid strengthens the immune system, has a beneficial effect on metabolism, and normalizes the functioning of the genitourinary system. Lentils are prescribed in therapeutic diets. It is mainly used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and especially for ulcers. The product is also useful for its high composition of vitamins, especially PP, A and group B. But you need to know how to cook lentils so that these beneficial properties did not dissolve in boiling water and did not disappear with steam.

Which variety to choose

Since ancient times, two varieties of small lentils have been known - red and brown. They grew in Egypt, Israel, Syria - countries with a very hot climate. The French, reputed to be great gourmets, tried to create a variety of lentils that would be adapted to cooler winters, and they succeeded. True, the lentils turned out green. She, like other types of legumes, needs longer preparation.

But the taste is simply wonderful - tender, somewhat reminiscent fresh peas. Depending on which variety you purchased, French green or Egyptian red and brown, it's worth thinking about how to cook your lentils. The first grade does not get overcooked, holds its shape perfectly and is suitable for side dishes. Brown lentils If handled carelessly, it can turn into mush, so you need to be careful not to overcook it. Red makes an excellent puree.

The mild taste of Egyptian lentils harmonizes well with meat, poultry and mushrooms. To diversify and enrich the neutral taste of the side dish, add spices and herbs during cooking. Before cooking, you need to carefully sort it out and rinse it in cool water, removing any debris. Some recipes even advise soaking green lentils before cooking. Next, it is filled with cold water in a ratio of 1:2 and placed on low heat. When the liquid boils, add a little olive oil(about half a tablespoon) and a variety of seasonings: rosemary, bay leaf, sage, celery. Green lentils cook with the lid slightly open for about 40 minutes, stirring regularly so as not to burn.

Brown and red are thrown into boiling water and cooked under a closed lid for 25 and 20 minutes, respectively. You only need to salt the side dish 5 minutes before the end of the cooking process.

Lentils in a slow cooker

Modern kitchen devices are designed to make the cook's work easier. If you have a multicooker in your house, you don’t need to do magic at the stove, constantly stirring the lentils. Your side dish will not boil over or burn. It's easy enough to measure required quantity water, and the device itself will maintain the set temperature regime. You can also prepare red lentil soup in a slow cooker, but it is better to stew the brown variety along with meat.

Here basic recipe how to cook lentils in a slow cooker. Chop an onion into half rings and a medium-sized carrot into strips. Place them in the bowl of the machine. Pour a tablespoon of vegetable oil over the vegetables and turn on the unit to the “Frying” mode. Set the time to 15 minutes. Wash lentils (one multi-cup) and add to fried vegetables. Fill with cold water. If the lentils were pre-soaked, you will need two multi-cups of liquid, and if not, four. Set the “Buckwheat” mode. You can also cook the meat at the same time as the side dish. Place the pieces on the grill and place them on top. In this case, select the “Steam” mode and set the timer for 40 minutes.

The sultry breath of India

Now let's consider individual recipes. So, what can you cook with lentils? Let's turn for inspiration to the cuisine of those countries where this type of legume has been used for centuries. Let's prepare a popular Indian dish - dhansak. It can be prepared with shrimp, chicken, lamb, but the base is red lentils. We rinse 350 g of the main product, pour it into a saucepan, add salt and pepper (black and hot red), and fill with water. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat until soft. If there is too much water, it needs to be drained, if there is not enough, add boiling water. At the same time, heat a spoon or two of vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the following spices for about two minutes: 6 boxes of crushed cardamom, 2 teaspoons each of mustard seeds, turmeric, cinnamon and chili powder. Add to them two finely chopped onions, chopped 10-centimeter ginger root, 4 cloves of garlic. Fry it all for five minutes. Place shrimp or meat in the pan. Fry, stirring, until done. Add pineapple pieces, 8 small chopped tomatoes and boiled lentils. Pour a little hot water and simmer covered for about five minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with cilantro.

Pour 3 liters of water into a large saucepan, add salt and pepper, and put on fire. We put two carrots cut into large pieces and a chopped large onion there. When the vegetables are completely cooked, add 150 g of brown or red lentils and various seasonings (parsley, dill, garlic, provencal herbs). Cook for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are soft. Cool the soup slightly and grind the contents with a blender. Pour in a glass of cream, bring to a boil and serve with croutons.

Vegetarian meatballs

Here is a recipe for how to cook lentils as independent dish. To do this, use its red variety in the amount of 350 g. Pour cold water over the lentils and leave overnight cool place. In the morning, change the liquid and cook until done. Grind until pureed in a blender or food processor. You need to try to make the porridge very thick. To do this, place the puree on a piece of durable cloth and squeeze out the excess liquid. Add a teaspoon of red pepper, salt, cumin, chopped cilantro, and a pinch of black pepper to the lentils. Mix the puree thoroughly. We form balls with our palms, bread them in breadcrumbs and fry in melted butter until golden crust. In a separate cup mix 225 g natural yogurt with the juice of one lemon. Pour this sauce over the hot meatballs.

Salad

How to cook lentils for a snack? Let's cook first salad dressing. Mix hot pepper, three leaves of basil and a clove of garlic, grind with a pestle and pour in two tablespoons of olive oil. Chop 10 cherry tomatoes, 2-3 green onions, three 50 g into a salad bowl hard cheese. Separately, cook 100 g of green lentils. When it cools down, add it to the salad. Stir and add flavored oil.

Delicious red lentils with vegetables!

Have you ever tried red lentils? This is a bright orange-colored cereal, very crumbly (rich in starch), quickly boiled into a luxurious puree. This is one of the most delicious varieties of lentils. Which is perfectly complemented by sour vegetables (or citrus juices), garlic and onions, peppers and aromatic herbs.

If you don't know what red lentils taste like, but you love... pea puree, then you will definitely like this tasty, satisfying (albeit lean) dish. I recommend it.

Composition of the dish

per pan, approximately 2-2.5 liters or large deep frying pan

Red chopped lentils – 1 cup;
Water – 2 glasses;
Leek (white part) - from 1 stalk (or regular leek - 1 head);
Celery (stem and leaves) – 1 piece;
Garlic – 1-2 cloves;
Sweet pepper – 1 pod;
Dill, basil - optional;
Ground black pepper (red hot or allspice, you can use a mixture of peppers) – 1 teaspoon;
Salt - to taste;
Vegetable oil – 3 tablespoons.

How to cook

At the same time, put the lentils to boil and cook vegetable dressing. When the lentils are cooked (become soft), season them with vegetables and simmer them together for 5 minutes over low heat so that they exchange juices.

How to cook red lentils

Rinse red lentils with cold water. Place in a saucepan, add cold water (proportion: 2 cups of water to 1 cup of lentils). Bring to a boil.
When the water boils, reduce the heat and cook the lentils for 10-15 minutes until tender (checking periodically to see if the grains have stuck to the bottom - stir). DO NOT SALTY (if you salt lentils, peas, beans and other legumes at the beginning, they will take an infinitely long time to cook and soften).
Salt the prepared (soft) lentils. Season with pepper.

Prepare vegetable dressing for lentils

Cut the leeks into rings (if you have onions, into thin half rings); tomatoes and sweet peppers – small cubes; peel the celery stalk and chop it in small pieces; garlic - finely chopped. Chop the celery leaves and dill (but each herb separately, because celery is for the dressing, and dill is for the finished dish).
Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, add onion, celery stalk, and sweet pepper. Fry vegetables over low heat until softened.
Add garlic, tomatoes, celery greens. Mix. Add salt. Simmer everything together until the vegetables soften.

When all the vegetables are ready, combine them with the lentils and simmer together (for 5 minutes) over low heat.

To improve the taste, you can put dill and a little on each plate. butter(unless, of course, you are fasting).

Bon appetit!

What you need for the dish: Persian red split lentils from Mistral Add pepper to the lentils. When cooked it lightens to yellow
Slicing vegetables for dressing red lentils Stewing vegetables for dressing red lentils Very tasty and satisfying!

A plate of lentils, seasoned with stewed vegetables and herbs. A simple and delicious dinner!