How to Cook Lentils
Also known as Lens culinaris, lentil has high iron and protein content. This nutritious vegetable has different kinds including Spanish Pardina, Petite Golden and Macachiados. Aside from protein and iron, lentil is also good for vegetarians because it contains folate, minerals as well as dietary fiber. To retain the nutrients and vitamins present at this vegetable, it is important to know how to cook lentils appropriately.
Ingredients and Materials
Before learning the steps or procedures in the basic way of cooking lentils, it is important to get all the needed ingredients, which include two cups of lentils and an onion. For seasoning, you will need ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. When it comes to materials, you need an electric stove or gas stove as well as a pot.
Instructions
Wash the lentils over cold or lukewarm water. Heat the cooking pot in medium fire. Boil four cups of water in the pot and put the vegetables in the pot. Add the chopped onion, pepper and salt. Cook for three to five minutes. Transfer the dish in a clean bowl and serve immediately. To make this special dish more luscious and enticing, do not forget to garnish with a teaspoon of chopped celery.
Variations
If you want to make the dish spicier, just add ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon chopped ginger, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon chopped red chilies. If you want to serve a hearty lentil comfort soup, always remember to add ½ cup of spinach, ½ cup of diced potato and ½ cup of cumin. Lastly, to cook lentil pasta sauce, include 1 ½ cup tomato sauce, ¼ cup basil, ¼ cup thyme, a teaspoon of chopped oregano as well as a teaspoon of chopped parsley in the ingredients.
Recipe
To know how to cook lentils, it is necessary to look for different recipes that use the vegetables as main ingredients like Lentils with Italian Sausage. The ingredients in this recipe are a pound of lentils, two pounds Italian sausage, three cups chicken broth, ¼ cup olive oil, a tablespoon of finely chopped celery, a finely chopped carrot, two cloves garlic, eight fresh sage leaves, three tablespoons tomato paste, ½ teaspoon pepper as well as ½ teaspoon salt.
Wash lentils over running water. Put the vegetables in a saucepan and pour over five cups of cold water. Heat the pan in low fire for 45 minutes. Slice sausages and place in another saucepan with chicken broth. Cover the pan and simmer for at least 40 minutes. Remove the sausages and lentils from the saucepans and put in a clean plate. Add the remaining ingredients in the pan with chicken broth. Stir the sauce and heat for two minutes. Pour the sauce over the sausages and vegetables. Serve immediately.
