RE: Recipes with red lentils!

Hiya Sarah!

you could try this site.

[DLMURL] http://vegweb.com/food/beans/index-beans-lentils.shtml [/DLMURL]

Tx

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

par boil some potatoes

cook the lentils with onions and garlic..you can add chopped tomatoes (or not)

layer potato/ cooked lentils in liquid/grated cheese...medium heat 35 minutes-ish

tigress

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

Thank you both! I was at a loss what to cook last night and cooked something very similar to what you suggested Tigress... but without lentils! Don't ask why, I have no idea but it was still lovely! Maybe next time I will remember the essential ingredient! Just to pass on this lovely recipe I was inpsired by you to make...

I par boiled potatoes. In a seperate pan I cooked garlic and chilli in oil then added a tin of tomatoes and let it cook down (added s & p). Also made a cheese sauce. In a dish I layered the sliced potatoes, tomato and cheese sauces, topped with grated cheese and sunflower and pumpkin seeds and baked for about 30 mins on gas mark 6. Lovely!!! Served with steamed veg.

Sarah x

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

I think they are good with rice, I make up basmati rice in vegetable stock, after it has come near to the boil I turn it very low and add the lentils at this point. When the rice is cooked the lentils are just right.

Then I put a bit of oil in a frying pan, I put in a couple of handfuls of pine kernels and fry them until they brown a bit, then i add a litle garlic and mustard seeds, then a chooped onion after washing it. i fry this up for a few mins, then add a little water, a tiny bit of salt. I keep going until the onions are really sort of gloopy, then i put a bit of mixed massalas, tiny tumeric and fry it along. If you like you can put some tamarind..just a touch and some frsh green chilies. i add water to keep it runny and make a light sauce.

Then I add mushrooms and sugar snap peas and fresh coriander and then fry the rice and lentils in there and that is really yummy!

I often like that hot or cold, is nice with a salad also, or warm with halloumi cheese and minty yoghurt.

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

Or you can make a good taka dahl with those lentils, i prefer the red ones to the yellow as they are tastier for me and quicker to cook.

For this you just get a pan of water and a little salt, put in lentils and a chopped small onions and a little tumeric, some cinamon sticks, green cardomons and perhaps some dried methi leaves and a bay leaf.

Bring to boil and then cook on a lower heat until lentils become a liquid soup, they will be thick, keep an eye in case they need more water, but all lentils must be smooth and runny, no lumps left.

When that is done, get another pan with oil, fry a few mustard seeds til they pop, then add a couple or three garlic cloves, crushed, brown it, add green chilies if you like and lots and lots of finely chopped coriander, when the oil etc is really hot(without burning) tip it all into the lentil soup and bring it all to the boul..and it is done!

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

and another idea...soak all night, then mash them to a pulp to make a battr, you can put herbs and spices that you like and then stir in vegetables you like, I often put finely chopped or grated potato, grated onion and coriander, chilies and tomato. then you can deep fry plops of this liquid and you will have pakoras which are nice with a tomato chutney.

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

Wow Halimah - lots of great ideas!! A couple of questions though, you said about adding salt to the water you cook the lentils in. I've always been told you can't cook lentils (or any other pulses) in salt because they will go hard. Is this not true?? Also the last recipe, I am right in thinking you don't cook the lentils at all just soak them, then fry them? Do they go soft?

I've got lots of inspiration now. Can't wait to get back into the kitchen!!

Sarah x

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

Sarah, i use mine in with a hotpot, i boil them then but them in the base of the mixture, put all the other part cooked veggies on top (broc, sweet pot, carrots, leeks) then put potatoe on top with a bit of cheese. its really nice.

RE: Recipes with red lentils!

Wow Halimah - lots of great ideas!! A couple of questions though, you said about adding salt to the water you cook the lentils in. I've always been told you can't cook lentils (or any other pulses) in salt because they will go hard. Is this not true?? Also the last recipe, I am right in thinking you don't cook the lentils at all just soak them, then fry them? Do they go soft?

Hi..lol, one of my jobs is chef! i do catering and I have also worked in dozens of Indian resaurants, also in Pakistan and a posh one in Chelsea so I have learned a few things about lentils!

You can cook them with salt, salt softens things not the opposite, in fact if you are after making a sauce and softening onions you will need salt. i would advise that you don't use to much, a fault of many people like my family is use of too much salt in their cooking...it is bad for health and less is certainly more.

Yes, you soak the lentils, then you mash them to a pulp, adding a little water so you end up with a thick but runny batter, then you fry it, ie after putting the other bits in it you get a big dollop on a tablespoon, then drop it into deep frying oil. As it hits the oild(provided it is hot) it will immediately form a round ball and turn into something similar to an onion bagee..have you ever had a pakora? these are they!

Another way to make pakoras is to use chickpea flower, this is an easier way and my preferred method than messing about with lentil soaking. it is found in indian shops and often health food shops and might be called Besan flour!

yep, if you soak lentils for a long time they go soft, although I must say that the yellow split peas probably mush easier but both will work, to make the batter lighter you can add self rasing flower.

There are many lentil recipies about but people don't always realise as the lentils disappear to become a sauce and are yummy that way.

Red Lentil recipe ideas

Hi Sarah,
I love red lentils! A really easy recipe is to boil your red lentils. When they are half way through cooking add one chopped tomato per person. Once they have absorbed water and are mushy stir in some tomato sauce (ketchup) and chilli sauce. Then add one sliced banana per person.a handful of desicated coconut. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of garam marsala and also melt a tablespoonn of ghee into the lentils. Serve with rice or indian bread. You can leave out the ghee if you want.

Another good recipe is to place plain cooked lentils on a bed of spinach or silverbeet (do you call this swiss chard in the UK?). Place washed and chopped spinach in base of oven dish. Then cover the spinach with sliced tomato and dot it with chopped garlic. Season tomato with salt and pepper. Spread lentils on top. You can top with breadcrumbs or cheese if you like. I like mine plain. Then place in moderate oven for 20-30 minutes.

Hi cathob and welcome to Healthypages,

Just thought i'd mention Sarah started this discussion 5 years ago, and last posted in 2007. Therefore, it's unlikely you will receive a reply from her.:)

On behalf of the Moderating Team,

calla lily

And just to keep the thread alive, here's what i normally do with red lentils:

Nip to your local supermarket and buy:

(1) Smoked Bacon Joint (about £5)
(2) 3 Carrots
(3) 2 Onions
(4) Pack Of Lentils
(5) Stock Cubes (Ham or Vegetable)

Finely chop the Onions and put them in a pot with the Bacon joint,cover with water and gently simmer for a couple of hours.
Then remove the Bacon Joint and set aside to cool.
Grate the Carrots and throw into the pot with the Stock Cubes and a Cup of Lentils-no need to soak.
Add Salt & Pepper to taste and simmer until the Lentils are just soft but not yet dissolving.

You now have delicious Lentil Soup,best enjoyed with buttered crusty bread!

The Bacon Joint can be broken up and served in the bowls of soup or you can slice them,grill and serve with pineapple slices and boiled rice.

Enjoy

Red Lentil Quiche

This is what I use red lentils for...

Make a pastry case. Blind bake and set aside.

Sauté an onion and some garlic in oil, when soft, add lentils and coat with the oil, then add enough water/stock to cover and simmer until soft.

When cool enough, stir in a tablespoon of tomato purée, a handful of cheese and one egg. Dollop into pastry case and bake for about 30 mins.

Delicious with salad.

Here you have a recipe for [url]spiced lentil salad[/url] (source). Really good if you want for example eat in a workplace, you just put it into plastic box and here you go. Also really easy to do

Hi Sarah,

I know I'm a bit late to this thread (and you may well have eaten all those lentils by now ), but I can't resist sharing one of the best red lentil recipes I know - Lentil Bolognese.

In a large saucepan, fry 1 chopped onion, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 sliced carrots, and about 150-200g chopped mushrooms, in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add 1 cup red lentils, 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes (preferably with added herbs - or add your own herbs, fresh or dried, to taste), 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 cups vegie stock, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil and simmer, covered, until thick and soft (about 20 minutes max). Serve over pasta of your choice or as a filling for lasagne. Quick and easy and tastes so good!!

Love, Charis

Oooooh, as a vegan, I lurrve lentils; last night I made Happy Herbivore's Red Lentil Dal.
I tweaked it a bit, adding one finely grated carrot and some spring onions. It was gurt lush as we say in these parts.
Last night I had it on a baked spud, tonight I'm going to have it on organic beechwood smoked green spelt!!

Here's her recipe:
[url]Red Lentil Dal Recipe | HappyHerbivore.com[/url] (am I allowed to do that?)

Personally I would play down the ginger and up the cumin
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Red lentils are great over-cooked so that they 'dissolve' and I often use them in this way as a base for soup or curry. Here's my recipe for 'simple red lentil soup':

[url]Neil Kingham » Blog Archive » Recipe: Easy Red Lentil Soup[/url]

I've got one like that too, Elixir - only with fewer vegies and more tomatoes. It's one of my favourite quick, easy and cheap recipes to throw together, and it makes about 6 serves... not always that many if you're a guts like me.

Basically, in a large saucepan, fry 1 chopped onion and 2 crushed garlic cloves in a little oil for a few minutes, until soft. Add 1 heaped tsp turmeric and 2 heaped tsp garam masala, stir and fry for a few seconds longer. Add 375 g red lentils (that's how big the standard packet of them is at the supermarket - it's 2 generous cups' worth), a 400 g tin of diced or crushed tomatoes, and 6 cups vegie stock. Bring to boil and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes, or until it's all thick and mushy. To finish, add juice of 1 lemon, 1/3 cup chopped parsley (I prefer flat-leaf), and salt and pepper to taste. And taste it does... good, that is! Enjoy.