Content

• Ingredients
• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Preparing Lentils
• Method 2 of 4: Cooking Lentils on the Stovetop
• Method 3 of 4: Slow Cooking Lentils
• Method 4 of 4: Variations
• Tips
• What do you need
• Additional articles

Lentils are soft beans that can be purchased dried. Unlike other species in the legume family, lentils do not need to be presoaked before cooking. In fact, lentils are very easy to cook and can be done on the stove top or in a slow saucepan. In this article, you will find all the information you need to know.

Ingredients

You will have 4 cups (1000 ml) ready-made lentils.

• 1 cup (250 ml) dried green, brown, or French lentils
• 2-4 cups (500-1000 ml) water
• 1 / 4-3 / 4 teaspoon (1.25-3.75 ml) salt

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Preparing Lentils

1. 1 Go through the lentils. Place 1 cup (250 ml) dry lentils on a tea towel, plate, cutting board, or other clean surface. Remove stones, dirt, and other debris from lentils. Also discard damaged lentils.
   • Some companies sell already handled lentils, however, it is possible that the machine may accidentally miss a stone or spoiled lentils. Therefore, it is a good idea to sort through the lentils by hand before you cook them.
   • Note that green lentils, brown lentils, and French lentils work best if you plan on serving them without additives. Red, orange and yellow lentils tend to soften during cooking, so they are best used in stews or soups.
2. 2 Wash the lentils. Place lentils in a colander and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds. Turn off the water and shake the colander gently to flush out excess water.
   • Instead of a colander, you can use a filter, strainer, or other similar utensil. Just make sure the holes are small enough to prevent the lentils from falling out.
   • Don't soak lentils. Most dried legumes need to be soaked to soften and remove some of the digestive upsetting compounds. However, lentils will become too soft if soaked, so this is not recommended.

Method 2 of 4: Cooking Lentils on the Stovetop

1. 1 Mix lentils with 2 cups (500 ml) water. Place 1 cup (250 ml) of the handled lentils in a small to medium saucepan and fill it with twice as much water.
   • With this method, you can cook any amount of lentils. It doesn't matter how many lentils you take, as long as you add twice as much water.
2. 2 Bring to a boil. Heat water on a stovetop over medium heat. The mixture should only boil slightly.
   • A lot of small bubbles should come out on the surface of the water.Do not let the water boil too much (when large bubbles come to the surface).
   • Do not put a lid on the pot.
3. 3 Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Reduce heat to medium to medium-low so the contents only simmer.
   • On a light boil, you should see very few bubbles. You may also notice slight movement of the lentils, but it should be very slight.
   • Watch your lentils as they cook. Add water if necessary to cover the lentils.
   • Do not put a lid on the pot. This will result in a strong boil, making the lentils too soft.
   • Note that old lentils may take longer to cook. Most likely, during the cooking process, the skin of such lentils will come off.
4. 4 Let it stand. Let the lentils sit for 5-10 minutes to absorb more water.
   • If you like the softness and texture of your lentils after 20-30 minutes of cooking, you can skip this step and go directly to the next. In the process of absorbing water, lentils become softer.
5. 5 Drain the water. Pour the contents of the pot into a colander or strainer to separate the lentils from the water.
   • Then return the lentils to the pot.
6. 6 Season the lentils with salt. Mix lentils with 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt. Taste and add more if needed.
   • Note that salt and acidic ingredients must be added to the lentils after cooking is complete. If you add them earlier, the lentils may remain firm.
   • Salt the lentils while they are still warm, as they will absorb the flavor better than when cold.
   • This is the final step in the cooking process.

Method 3 of 4: Slow Cooking Lentils

1. 1 Place lentils and 4 cups of water (1000 ml) in a slow saucepan. Place 1 cup (250 ml) picked lentils in a saucepan and add four times the water.
   • As with the previous method, you can cook any amount of lentils (based on the size of your slow cooker), as long as you add four times the amount of water.
2. 2 Cook for 4 hours on low heat. Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn on the low heat. Cook the lentils until tender but not too soft.
   • This process usually takes about 4 hours, but the time can vary depending on the age of the lentils. Old lentils can take up to 6 hours, and young lentils only 3.5-4 hours.
   • If you are cooking at a high temperature, cut the time in half. Cook lentils for 2 hours, not 4 hours.
   • Do not stir the lentils during cooking. Avoid removing the lid from the slow cooker until the expected cooking time. Removing the lid will release the heat, so it will take longer to cook.
3. 3 Drain the water. Pour the contents of the slow cooker into a colander or strainer to separate the lentils from the water.
   • After draining the water, return the lentils to the slow cooker. The pan must be turned off.
4. 4 Season the lentils with salt. After draining the water, mix the lentils with 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt. Add more salt if necessary.
   • Do not add salt or acidic ingredients to lentils during cooking, as lentils may become hard.
   • This is the final step in the lentil preparation process.

Method 4 of 4: Variations

1. 1 Prepare lentils with a variety of seasonings. In addition to salt, you can add most non-acidic seasonings when cooking lentils. Season the lentils as you cook for a full flavor.
   • Try the following seasonings for 1 cup (250 ml) dried lentils: 1/4 tsp. (1.25 ml) freshly ground black pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 minced garlic clove, or 1 chopped shallot.
   • When you drain the water, remove any large seasonings such as garlic or bay leaf.
2. 2 Substitute broth for water. Since water is a tasteless liquid, you can use a broth with little or no sodium to add flavor to your lentils as you cook.
   • Chicken and vegetable broths are popular choices. Use as much broth as you would use water.
   • It is best to use homemade stock, as store stock is likely to be high in salt. Salt can make lentils very tough if added during cooking. If possible, the broth should be free of salt or only a very small amount.
3. 3 Cook diced potatoes or sweet potatoes with the lentils. Potatoes and sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2-cm cubes, cook in the same amount of time as lentils.
   • You can also cook lentils with other vegetables such as carrots or broccoli. Choose harder vegetables as softer vegetables such as peas, onions or bell peppers cook too quickly.
   • If you are cooking lentils with other vegetables, be sure to add more water. If you are cooking in a slow saucepan, the water should rise 5 cm above the contents. If you are cooking in a regular saucepan, make sure the contents are covered throughout the entire process.
4. 4 Season the cooked lentils. You can add other seasonings along with the salt.
   • Sour ingredients only need to be added to ready-made lentils, but you can do the same with non-sour ingredients.
   • Sour ingredients include lemon juice and vinegar.
   • You can also use olive oil or oil-based dressing.
   • You can also try spices like curry, ground cumin, garlic, cayenne or chili peppers, and herbs like cilantro or parsley.
5. 5finished>

Tips

• Finished lentils can be refrigerated for an average of one week.
• You can also add ready-made lentils to salads and soups.

What do you need

• Beaker
• Colander or strainer
• Pan
• Slow cooking pot
• A spoon

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