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Thread: i need a dhal (lentil) recipe!

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    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default i need a dhal (lentil) recipe!

    to all you who eat dhal loads - i need a really good dhal recipe to appeal to omnies so it needs to be extra tasty and not too involved - URGENT!

    thank you

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    cedarblue, you probably checked here already I guess. http://vegweb.com/food/beans/index-beans-dahl.shtml

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    I am the dhal queen...I eat it about 5 out of 7 nights a week!!!!

    SPLIT PEA DHAL
    - 1 cup yellow split peas (dried of course)
    - 3 cups water
    - 1 onion, chopped
    - 2 garlic cloves, crushed
    - 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
    - 1 tsp turmeric
    - 1 tsp cardamom (ground)
    - 1 tsp cumin
    - fresh or ground chilli (optional)
    - salt to taste
    - Juice of 1/2 lemon

    1. Boil the split peas in the water until they turn into a puree. (Takes about 45min)
    2. Meanwhile, combine all the spices, garlic, ginger and onion in a fry pan with enough water to cover it all. Gently bring to a simmer, and keep stirring until all the onion is soft.
    3. Once the split peas are mushy, add the spice and onion mixture and salt to taste. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
    4. Just before serving, add the lemon juice.

    Serve over rice (there is probably enough for 4 - 6 people, depending on their appetite.

    RED LENTIL DHAL
    - 1 cup dried red lentils
    - 3 cups water
    - 1 onion, chopped
    - 2 garlic cloves, crushed
    - 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
    - 1 tsp turmeric
    - 1 tsp ground cumin
    - 1 tsp ground coriander
    - 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
    - fresh or ground chilli (optional)
    - juice of 1/2 lemon
    - salt to taste

    1. Boil the lentils in the water, just like the split peas, until they turn mushy puree.
    2. Meanwhile, combine all the spices, garlic, ginger and onion in a fry pan with enough water to cover it all. Gently bring to a simmer, and keep stirring until all the onion is soft.
    3. Once the lentils are mushy, add the spice and onion mixture and salt to taste. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
    4. Just before serving, add the lemon juice.

    Same deal with the serving stuff!!!!

    Now, to that you can substitute any amount of the legumes for other legumes, for example, tonight I cooked the red lentil dhal with 1/4 cup chickpeas and 3/4 cup of lentils. But I had to cook the chickpeas first, which of course takes more time.

    You can also add chopped spinach, mashed pumpkin, eggplant, steamed potato or anything else you like to the dhals for variance.

    I like to serve this with a salad made up of chopped tomato, chopped cucumber, fresh coriander, spring onion and lemon juice. I sometimes put a bit of fennel in it too.

    My very omni boyfriend is quite happy that this is the staple food in our household. He has it with papadums (I hate papadums) - so if you like, papadums may jazz up the meal, or naan/roti. Chutney is another suggestion to add...

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    oooh i've missed dhal, thanks so much!

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    Yeah, dhal is the best. Tonight I had split pea and potato dhal, but we mixed in half green split peas and half yellow. We also used a bit of garam masala and turmeric instead of all the other stuff. Was yummy

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    Smile Banana's dhal (lentil) recipes

    Coz I am procrastinating from doing my assignment, and coz I loooove dhal and I cooked yummy moong dhal for the first time tonight, I thought I would create a thread where people could contribute their variations of dhal...and there are a stack. I have posted my recipes for my lentil dhal and my split pea dhal a gazillion times on various different threads, but for the purpose of organisation, I will do it again:


    BASIC SPLIT PEA DHAL

    à 1 cup yellow (or green) split peas

    à 3 cups water

    à 1 onion, chopped

    à 2 cloves garlic crushed

    à 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

    à 1 tsp each turmeric, cumin and cardamom

    à Salt and chilli to taste

    à Juice of ½ lemon

    BASIC LENTIL DHAL

    à 1 cup split red lentils

    à 3 cups water

    à 1 onion, chopped

    à 2 cloves garlic, crushed

    à 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger


    à 1 tsp each turmeric, cumin, coriander

    à ½ tsp yellow mustard seeds

    à Juice of ½ lemon

    à Salt and chilli to taste
    • Place the split peas/lentils in a rice cooker/pot with the water and bring to a boil. Let boil until they go into a puree consistency.
    • Meanwhile, place the onions, garlic, ginger and spices in a pan with enough water to cover and make like a paste. Simmer until the onions are soft and translucent
    • Once the peas/lentils are mushy, add the onion mixture, salt and lemon juice and let simmer for 15 minutes
    Serve with rice, salad, chutney and pappadums!

    To this you can add (optional)

    - steamed potato chunks in the last 15 minutes with the onion mixture

    - spinach

    - mashed pumpkin

    - substitute 1/3 – ½ cup of any other bean/legume, I like chickpeas but you have to pre-soak and pre-cook them first

    - eggplant also goes nice




    MOONG DHAL

    à 1 cup split mung beans

    à 3 cups water

    à 1 onion, chopped

    à 4 cloves garlic, crushed

    à 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

    à 1 tomato, chopped

    à 1 tsp each turmeric, garam masala, black mustard seeds and cayenne
    • Place the mung beans in a rice cooker/pot with the water and bring to a boil. Let boil until they go into a puree consistency.
    • Meanwhile, place the onions, garlic, ginger, tomato and spices in a pan with enough water to cover and make like a paste. Simmer until the onions are soft and translucent
    • Once the mung beans are mushy, add the onion mixture and salt and let simmer for 15 minutes
    Serve with rice, salad, chutney and pappadums!

    I also imagine that potatoes would go down well with it.

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    [FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=2][COLOR=DarkOrange]
    I forgot to post Dal Makhani:
    - 2/3 cup brown lentils
    - 1/3 cup (dried, soaked and pre-cooked) red kidney beans
    - 2 - 3 cups water
    - 1 onion, chopped
    - 4 garlic cloves, crushed
    - 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
    - 4 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
    - 1 tomato, chopped
    - 1 tsp each turmeric, cumin, coriander
    - chilli and salt to taste

    The instructiosns are basically the same as the other dhals -
    1. Put lentils and beans in a rice cooker with the water and bring to a boil. Cook until the lentils are soft and mushy
    2. Meanwhile, place onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, tomato and spices in a pan and cover with enough water to form a pasty like consistency. Cook until onions are soft and fragrant.
    3. Once lentils are mushy, add the onion mixture and simmer for 15 minutes

    Same serving suggestions as the other dhals!!!!

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    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    mmm thanx banana im going to make sum tonight when u add the onion mixture to the split peas/lentils, u dont drain the lentils first? do u drain after u add to the lentils?
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    No drainage is required - let me know if you like it!

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    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    Question rinsing lentils

    do u always need to rinse lentils and chickpeas and such before eating them? i eat chickpeas often as mock tuna and dont rinse them and havnt had any problems. ive seen a few times that people do have problems unless theyre rinsed first. why is that?
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

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    I eat legumes nearly every day and I never wash them. Nothing has ever happened to me, but maybe it is bad not to - I have no idea

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    What is Dahl?

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    [FONT=Comic Sans MS]Dhal is an Indian dish made from any kind of bean, but normally lentils or split peas are used. It is very yummy. [FONT]

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    I don't like some Indian spices, I'm not sure if I would like Dahl, but I like Beans! Does it have Curry? I don't like Curry? YUCK!

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    Blue, dhal can have whatever spices you like and be as hot/mild as you like. It is not curry as such (unless you want it to be). It is very versatile. If you look up 'banana's dhal thread' - sorry I am unfamiliar with linking, there are a few different sorts of dhals and variations/additions etc... Also, the kenyan dengu recipe that is posted here is on the same wavelength as dhal and is not curryish at all! I tried it for the first time last night and my boyfriend and I just loved it!

    Here are a list of spices that I commonly use for my dhals - you can mix/match any way you like:
    - turmeric
    - cumin (ground)
    - coriander (ground)
    - mustard seeds (both yellow and black)
    - hing
    - cardamom (ground)
    - fenugreek
    - tamarind puree
    - paprika
    - chilli
    - cinnamon

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    Dhal/Dal is a Hindi name. It is kind of thick soup of various kinds of lentils/peas. It can be made very easily by using Pressure Cooker.Adding some Salt,spices,onion,garlic, whatever you finds fit for you.And heating it in little cooking oil. Just boil it for few minutes.

    Dhal

    Manish

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    Default Lentils with Spinach

    Lentils with spinach

    This is my favourite way to eat spinach.
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    mmm sounds delicious - do you have it with rice or anything?

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    I have it alone but I guess it would be great with rice too.
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    Ex-admin Korn's Avatar
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    Quote Banana
    1 tomato, chopped
    Tomatoes in dal really makes a difference, and can be good even in large amounts.... In addition to cummin and lemon sauce (and garlic of course), tomatoes really do the trick for me.

    Have you tried making dal with the very small, almost black lentils?
    I will not eat anything that walks, swims, flies, runs, skips, hops or crawls.

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    Add some fresh cut tomato pieces and corriander leaves at the end on the top of it. or you can use sauce of corriander leaves.

    Manish

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    Well, why do not you decorate dhal with corriander leaves? It has got awesome flavor. Even you can make paste of these leaves and store it in your freez.

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    Paste of Onion+garlic+tomato+spices of your choice should be made and cooked separately in Vegetable oil like peanuts/soya oil/ sunflower.

    Manish

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    Thumbs up Thanks for the recipes

    I've been making Dhal for two decades but never so well. I make it simple, just adding garlic, curry powder, salt, fresh ground pepper, and cayenne. Lots of curry powder. Some olive oil too, and a dash of sesame oil. Maybe a pinch of chili powder. I've tried variations. I keep split peas - green & yellow, lentils - french & brown, and others, on hand for variety.

    On a cold day, add some chopped onion, celery, and herbs and you have lentil soup. I usually go lighter on the curry here.

    Thanks to Manish for another great link.

    I had the pleasure of dining on dhal at many little shops in Mumbai, then Bombay, and I've never come close to it. I'm sure it is because they used freshly ground spices. The tea was also noticably tastier too. Even the people living on the street would grind their spices as they cooked. I ate only the mild version graduating to a shaky start with medium towards the end of my time there. The hot must have been unbelievably intense. I sure would like to give it another shot.

    I don't think I'll get one so I'll try to improve on what I do here.
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    It is made separately

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    I was at the health food store and saw dried mung beans in the bulk section and thought "gee, I read a yummy-sounding dahl recipe with those in it" and so I bought a cup or so and will be making it tonight!
    Thanks, Banana, we'll see how the Moong Dahl goes!

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    I had some dried split peas sitting around yesterday, and I made the split pea dahl yesterday, but I doubled the batch. Between yesterday and today, only one cup is left, I ate the whole batch myself (very gassy today, but it was well worth it )

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    I am making split pea dhal tonight

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    I never tried this stuff before, but it sounds very yummy!

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    Default Re: Banana's Dhal thread

    Quote Korn
    Tomatoes in dal really makes a difference, and can be good even in large amounts.... In addition to cummin and lemon sauce (and garlic of course), tomatoes really do the trick for me.

    Have you tried making dal with the very small, almost black lentils?


    Today I was shopping at a new store, and for the first time ever, I saw the small black lentils and immediately thought of KORN! I bought them and will make dahl this week with those black gems.

    God gives us so many beautiful scrumptious non-animal things to eat without hurting other animals..

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    Default Re: Banana's Dhal thread

    I made my first ever dahl this weekend and it was LUSH, even my other half's conservative taste buds liked it.
    Making some more tonight.

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    Default Lentils

    Can anyone suggest what I might be doing wrong - I've got a huge bag of green lentils (think they're also known as continental lentils - the flat green disk shaped ones) and I can't seem to get them to cook proprerly.
    The pack said to put them in boiling water, boil for 10 mins then simmer for 20-30.
    I've tried it lots of times, but everytime they either start to disintegrate into a mush with all the skins starting to come off - or they just taste really horrible like they're not cooked enough or something - either way they don't taste anything like the ones I get in a tub of ready made lentil salad from the local shop.

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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    I am by no means a lentil expert.......but I have had the same thing happen to me. My problem was cooking them for too long and it sounds like that could be what's happening to you too. Try adjusting the simmer time, and make sure it's on a very low simmer.

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    purrr..! DoveInGreyClothing's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    I find about 40 mins simmering, but turn the temp down to simmer asap it starts boiling. Hope that helps.
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    If you are planning ahead, soak them over night and rinse them in a few changes of water. This may help with the taste and will cut down on cooking time. By the morning, bite one to test for softness which should help you guage cooking time. (Don't eat the uncooked lentil though - probably won't taste wonderful).
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    Try watching The Young Ones. Nearly every episode in Series 1 shows Neil cooking lentils.

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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    Keep in mind, the lentils you have been eating from the prepackaged tubs might have been seasoned.

    If you ever get lentils to cook properly, add it with some rice and top with fried onions. It's my favourite way to eat lentils, other than in soups.

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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    i rarely cook lentils on their own, i usually put them in some kind of sauce which helps them cook a lot better than just boiling them, and they seem to taste better that way too. green lentils work particularly well in vegan lasagne

    if i have a lentil salad i tend to use either sprouted lentils or tinned lentils.
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    Default Different kinds of lentils

    From http://www.innvista.com/health/foods...es/lentils.htm


    Lentils
    (Lens culinaris -- Family Leguminosae)

    The lentil plant is an annual herb grown for its edible, high protein, flattened seeds. It is one of the oldest cultivated crops and presumed to be native to southwestern Europe and temperate Asia. Carbonized seeds found in Neolithic villages in the Middle East have been dated to between 7000 and 6000 BCE, but it is believed they were domesticated long before that. By 2200 BCE, plants appeared in Egyptian tombs. Lentils, common in the diets of ancient Greeks, Hebrews, Egyptians, and Romans, originated from a wild species that still grows in Turkey and other Middle Eastern countries.

    The English term lens, used to describe the glass in optical instruments, comes from the Latin name for lentils, which referred more to its shape rather than its use during Lent. However, lentils were, and are, traditionally eaten during a period of fasting. Lentils, rye bread, and cabbage were the main items in the diet of an 18th century German peasant and still viewed by many as a poor man's food. Nevertheless, since the rise of the health food industry and vegetarianism, lentils have gained a new status in the western world.

    The lentil plant is a climbing vine similar to the pea, but with only two seeds to a pod. The two main types are the orange or Egyptian lentil, which is very small and generally available only in split form with the skin removed; and the other is the brown French variety, which is at least twice the size and marketed whole with the skin intact. This lentil is the one preferred by Europeans as it can also be sprouted. The orange lentil continues to be the most frequently used legume in the making of dahls and also continue to be a major food staple in Egypt and other areas of the African continent. Lentils vary, not only in colour, but also in husked and unhusked states. Dahl/Dal is the Indian term used when legumes are dried and split and Gramis the one used for whole legumes.

    Lentils, like other legumes, are a nourishing food often bypassed by many. They are a good source of protein, fiber, carbohydrates, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, and zinc. Its high protein content is more easily digested than any other legume and plays a major role in the diet of many underdeveloped nations. For every twenty-five grams of protein needed by man every day, 134 grams of beef needs to be consumed, but only 100 grams of lentils. In addition, being a plant food, lentils do not contain cholesterol; and the protein derived from them is much easier to digest than the animal equivalent, or even soybeans. Next to soy beans, lentils have the highest protein content at 25%.

    There are many varieties of the lentil; but the green, brown, and red are the most common types found in the West. Lentils are grown throughout the world and have become naturalized in drier areas of the tropics. Because of its relatively high drought tolerance, it is a suitable crop for semi-arid regions. India grows more than fifty different varieties and accounts for about half of the world's consumption. Because of this, they have developed their own lexicon and classification system. There is an interesting Parsee dish called dahnsak, in which up to nine different kinds of lentils of various colours, textures, and flavours are used. The object of the dish is to challenge the cook to achieve harmony and proper balance. In Europe, some kinds of lentils have achieved the status of a delicacy as with the French variety, Verte du Puy, which are very small, green, and expensive. Lentils, like other pulses, should never be eaten raw, and tend to figure more often in hearty dishes than in delicate, costly ones. Lentils have also been used as a source of commercial starch in the textile and printing industries, with the by-products used for cattle feed. The whole plant can be used fresh or dried as hay and fodder.

    Attempts to list lentils run up against a fundamental difficulty since the use of the term spills over into other species, but some popular types are listed below:
    Beluga lentils are very small, fancy, black lentils that fetch a high price. They are so named as a play on their resemblance to high-priced Beluga caviar.
    French Green lentils, also called 'lentilles du Puy', are raised mainly in Puy, a region of southwest France. They are small, speckled, deep green, or brownish green, and remain firm when cooked, which only takes a short time. Because of their attractive appearance, tasty flavour, tender texture, and speedy cooking, they are popular in French and American restaurants.
    Green lentils are also popular and hold their large firm shape well after cooking. Hulled green lentils are ideal for soups as they disintegrate easily when cooked.
    Petite Crimson lentils are tiny red lentils about one-third the size of regular lentils. Originally from Turkey, Egypt, and India, they are now cultivated in the West. Taking only minutes to cook, these lentils are favourites when mixed with rice or made into soups.
    Spanish Pardina lentils, also called Spanish brown lentils, are small and richly-coloured, ranging from an earthy brown to moss green with streaks of black. They also hold their shape well during cooking.
    Split Red lentils are small and salmon-coloured, even when husked. They are also known as red chief lentils, pink lentils, Egyptian, and "masoor dal" (India). When cooked, they turn golden and very soft, making them ideal for soups and purées. These are the ones eaten by Muslims in the north, especially Bengal, as well as in Pakistan. Hulled red lentils disintegrate quickly, but have a good flavour. Unhulled red lentils have a stronger flavour.
    Split White lentils are creamy coloured when split and their dark skins removed. Lentil-like, they are actually the inner seeds of black gram beans mainly used as a seasoning or a red colouring in dishes from southern India. They are members of the mung bean family and very easy to digest. When toasted and ground, they are used as an Indian spice called "urad dal".
    Split Yellow lentils are the seeds of the Cajanus cajan plant, which is the botanical name for the "pigeon pea", and are nothing more than split peas. In India, the classification of legumes is much looser, causing legumes of different families, that are closely related in culinary uses, to be considered as the same.
    Tarahumara Pinks from Mexico have mottled seeds and thrive in semi-arid conditions.
    Last edited by Korn; Feb 20th, 2007 at 10:44 AM. Reason: This post is from another thread
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    I love lentils and have never had much of a problem cooking them *unless* I am visiting friends at lower elevations. Here's my theory. I live at 7,200 ft above sea level (2,195 meters) and water boils at a lower temperature here. I think that's why my lentils come out better. When I'm cooking at lower elevations, like when I am visiting friends, my lentils always come out mushy. I haven't figured out how to adjust the cooking time. Same with split peas.

    Do you guys like Ethiopian food? I love the way they cook lentils... I still can't figure out the seasonings totally... but if anyone has a good recipe for Ethiopian lentils, I'd love to hear it.

  41. #41
    cedartree cedarblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    try bananas dhal thread for a couple of recipes

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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    I just tried some more lentils, and it seemed to work ok this time
    I used plenty of water, put the lentils in cold water to start cooking (instead of boiling the kettle and putting the lentils in a pan of boiling water) and changed the water halfway through.

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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    Quote Sassafras
    I love lentils and have never had much of a problem cooking them *unless* I am visiting friends at lower elevations. Here's my theory. I live at 7,200 ft above sea level (2,195 meters) and water boils at a lower temperature here. I think that's why my lentils come out better. When I'm cooking at lower elevations, like when I am visiting friends, my lentils always come out mushy. I haven't figured out how to adjust the cooking time. Same with split peas.

    Do you guys like Ethiopian food? I love the way they cook lentils... I still can't figure out the seasonings totally... but if anyone has a good recipe for Ethiopian lentils, I'd love to hear it.
    I cook most of my lentils in a pressure cooker! At close to sea level! It takes about 10 minutes to get a firm lentil and another 5 minutes to get them to the almost soup point. Needless to say I find I make soup more often than not! When it comes to legumes, a pressure cooker is a must - if not available soaking for about 12 - 24 hours is a good idea. (But I am never hungry for lentils in the morning...!) It saves on cooking time.

    When bushwalking, I add water to lentils and dried vegie bits and let them soak in my pack all day for the evening meal - then I don't have to cook them for long and basically they have started germination.

    I have heard of walkers growing lentils as sprouts for long distance walks for the vitamins in the fresh food. Just in snap-lock bags rinsed and hanging on the outside of the backpack!
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  44. #44
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    I do not follow directions when making them aside from using 2 cups of water/or veggie broth for every cup of lentils. I bring the water to a complete boil and then turn the heat down to a level that is just a tad above a simmer. I stir the mixture every ten minutes until almost all of the liquid is disolved. The entire cooking process takes about 35 minutes. I do not cover the pot at any time.

    Doing it this way makes for perfect lentil.

  45. #45
    gorillagorilla Gorilla's Avatar
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    Wink Neil's Lentil Casserole

    i was quite surprised to see we don't have a lentil casserole recipe on the forum, and as i'm such a big fan of Neil from the Young Ones, i decided i had to post one. it's very easy to make.

    Serves 4

    2 tbsp oil
    1 large chopped onion
    2 cloves garlic, crushed
    2 tbsp curry paste
    2 tbsp tomato puree
    400g can chopped tomatoes
    125g dried red lentils
    450g broccoli florets
    1 large carrot, chopped
    300ml vegetable stock
    250g new potatoes, cubed

    Saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes. Add the curry paste and tomato puree, stir in well and cook for a further 2 mins. Stir in the tinned tomatoes, lentils, potatoes and veg stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 20 mins. Add the broccoli and carrot, simmer for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

    Serve with rice or quinoa and a green salad.
    'The word gorilla was derived from the Greek word Gorillai (a "tribe of hairy women")'

  46. #46
    AR Activist Roxy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Neil's Lentil Casserole

    Mmmmmmm - sounds yummy!

  47. #47
    veganblue's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    I am making brown lentil soup at the moment - sort of dahl-ish - and am having wild rice with it. I put a little of the apparent wild rice in with white but it comes out a magenta purple and - well - doesn't seem quite right!

    Has anyone else had wild rice go purple?
    "if compassion is extreme, then call me an extremist"

  48. #48
    FR
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    I haven't had rice go purple, but I do know wild rice cooks faster than brown rice (not sure about white rice). I always add the wild rice in after about 10 minutes of cooking the brown rice. This is of course without the use of a rice cooker, which I am planning on purchasing soon.

    One thing about preparing lentils that I left out. I actually do cover them, but only after I tun off the flame/heat when they are done. I let them site for about 15 minutes after I cooked them. This makes them nice and soft and seals in more flavor.

  49. #49
    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    Default Re: Banana's Dhal thread

    im going to try this again soon with my red lentils!
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

  50. #50
    Goddess foxytina_69's Avatar
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    Default Re: I can't cook lentils :(

    are u supposed to cook all lentils the same way or is it different for each color?
    "you dont have to be tall to see the moon" - african proverb

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