John Myers
The smallest representative of the legume family is available in many different varieties – from hearty to noble. While brown or green lentils used to be considered hearty poor man’s food, today the noble variants such as the green Puy or black Beluga lentils are even served in star cuisine. The peeled red and yellow lentils are mainly used in Indian and Arabic cuisine.
Origin
Lentils are one of the oldest cultivated plants of mankind: they have been cultivated in Egypt for almost 10,000 years. Today they are mainly grown in Spain, Russia, South America, the USA, Canada, and the Near East.
Taste
Depending on the variety, lentils taste more or less nutty, slightly sweet or spicy. Since the aromatic substances that determine the taste are in the shell, smaller types of lentils with a higher proportion of shells have more flavor than larger types. A little acid, e.g. with mild vinegar or lemon juice, enhances the aroma of the small legumes. Hearty lentil varieties such as plate lentils harmonize perfectly with smoked, strong autumn and winter vegetables and strong spices such as caraway or bay leaves.
Use
Lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking, but soaked lentils are more likely to hold their shape while cooking. You can safely forget the old kitchen rule that you should only salt lentils after cooking: they are also cooked when salted and thus get a better aroma. Lentils are traditionally used for stews – such as a classic lentil stew with sausages – and soups. But they also taste exotically seasoned as curry, puree, pastes or spreads, side dishes, patties or salads. Green Puy lentils or brown mountain lentils are ideal for salads, as they retain their bite when cooked. For purees or curries, on the other hand, red or yellow lentils are better, as they quickly disintegrate when cooked. They’re also perfect for quick cooking, as they cook in as little as 12-15 minutes. Pre-cooked canned lentils are also ideal for those who are in a hurry. Would you like to start cooking? You can find our lentil recipes here.
Storage
Lentils should be stored in a dry, cool and dark place in tightly sealed storage containers. So keep about 1 year. The cooking time increases slightly with age.
