What to cook with lentils. Lentil recipe for all occasions

Just 100 years ago in Russia, lentils were not only found everywhere on the tables of both rich and poor, but also exported to many countries of the world. However, not everyone knew how to cook lentils for a delicious meal.

The oldest agricultural crop of the legume family has been known since the Neolithic; it appeared in Russia in the 14th century and was the basis for many dishes. Now they forgot about the queen of legumes, but in vain!

The nutritional value of lentils is immense, with over sixty percent vegetable protein and a wide range of minerals and trace elements. It is not for nothing that the monks in Russia used it as the main source of food during Lent; many dishes can be prepared from it: soups, pastries, side dishes.

From a medical point of view, the queen of beans is a treasure trove of health. It strengthens the immune system and improves metabolism. Regular use will not only heal the body, but also cure many ailments.

1. It normalizes blood sugar levels, which means it is useful for patients with diabetes.
2. It is rich in B vitamins, which act as an antioxidant and protect the body from the effects of toxins, alcohol and nicotine poisoning.
3. With gastritis and ulcers, pain subside, heartburn disappears.
4. Prevention of oncology - prevents the formation of cancer cells.
5. Useful for nervous disorders, a kind of depressant.

The list is endless. Moreover, lentils also have cosmetic properties, are indispensable for diets, and are also very useful for women's health during pregnancy, in solving gynecological problems.

So colorful!

Several varieties of lentils are known.

1. Brown. The most common type, rich in iron, prevents anemia. Soups are mainly made from it. Has a nutty flavor, good in combination with meat.
2. Red, or Egyptian. It is practically devoid of a shell, therefore it instantly boils down. It is recommended to make mashed potatoes, pates, soups from it.
3. Puy, or green. Rich in fiber, a variety bred in the French city of Puy. It has a delicate aroma and a peppery smell. It is not subject to cooking and is recommended for adding to salads.
4. Yellow. Polished green lentils. It is used for mashed dishes.
5. Black, or Beluga. It is small and looks like black caviar. Contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, which means it helps with colds. Often used for salads, useful in sprouts. After cooking, it retains its shape, due to its unusual color it gives piquancy and originality to dishes.

Place the prepared cereals in boiling water and cook over low heat, not forgetting to stir. Salt or add tomatoes at the end 5-10 minutes before cooking, since salty or acidified medium doubles the cooking time.

During cooking, it is advisable to add spices and a little oil, preferably olive oil. This will make the beans softer and softer, as well as flavorful.

How long will it take

Each variety has a different cooking time. Of course, you can constantly try for softness and taste, but it is better to remember or write down how much to cook lentils until tender, depending on the color.

Red and yellow are cooked very quickly, on average 15 minutes. Brown and black will be ready in 25 minutes. And cooking green takes from 45 minutes to an hour.

You can cook not only on the stove, so it is important to know how much lentils are cooked depending on the cooking method:

• slow cooker - 50 minutes;
• microwave oven - 7-12 minutes;
• double boiler - 1 hour.

How much water is needed

For side dishes, take two parts of water for one part of cereal. Try to maintain a strict 1: 2 ratio to avoid undercooked or overcooked lentils.

If you use a microwave oven or a double boiler, then it is enough that the water is 1-2 cm above the grain level.

Has long and firmly entered our life, it allows you to quickly cook dishes in automatic mode. However, not every housewife knows how to cook lentils.

Use the modes "Quenching", "Porridge". If the dish consists of several ingredients, then the beans should be added last.

Lentils with mushrooms are prepared as follows.

1. We turn on the "Fry" mode, pour sunflower oil into the container, add a finely chopped onion and a couple of garlic cloves, bring to a transparent state.
2. Fry a dozen randomly chopped champignons or other mushrooms together with onions for several minutes. Salt, seasonings and spices to taste.
3. Add one glass of prepared lentils to the mushrooms and pour two glasses of boiling water.
4. We transfer to the "Extinguishing" mode, set the time to 50 minutes.
5. After the readiness signal, it is advisable to leave it on automatic heating for another 20 minutes.

Thus, you can cook lentils with meat, chicken, vegetables. Be sure to use spices, they brighten up the taste and aroma.

Features of cooking in the microwave

Many housewives do not know that in a microwave oven you can not only defrost food or heat food, but also cook.

Pour red or yellow lentils into a special dish, salt, add spices and fill with hot water so that it covers the beans by 1.5-2 cm.Put in the microwave, no need to close the lid. Set to maximum setting and cook for 7-10 minutes. The lentils are crumbly, the grains are whole and firm.

Cooking in a double boiler

When cooking in a double boiler, useful vitamins and minerals are preserved, the dishes are guaranteed not to burn, and the porridge is crumbly. The peculiarity of cooking is less water than with the usual method of cooking in a saucepan.

Put one and a half cups of any lentils into a container, pour in a glass of water, add butter, spices and salt to taste. Set the time to 1 hour. After cooking is finished, taste it, you can add a few more minutes to achieve the desired softness.

How to cook lentils to be healthy and tasty? There are many recipes, add imagination, do not be afraid to experiment, and you can please your loved ones with unusual dishes.

Porridge

It is equally good as an independent dish, and as a side dish for meat or fish.

1. Pour well-washed yellow or red grains into boiling water in a ratio of one to two.
2. Cook until tender. For 5-7 minutes, do not forget to salt and add spices and seasonings.
3. Drain off excess water and let it simmer under the lid.
4. Fry onions and carrots in vegetable oil until golden brown.
5. Mix roast with lentils, add butter to taste.

Sprinkle the porridge with finely chopped herbs before serving.

Puree

Toss lentils in boiling water at a 1: 2 ratio. Cook for about 15 minutes with a spoonful of vegetable oil, so the beans will be softer and more tender. Add salt and spices at the end. To smooth the puree, beat or pass through a sieve.

Serve with fresh vegetables and herbs. A mint leaf in a plate will add a special taste.

Soup

How to cook brown lentils? What to cook? Try lentil soup, a hearty dish that's rich in protein and micronutrients. In the cold season, it saturates, warms, adds piquancy and a touch of exoticism.

The recipe for a classic soup is as follows.

1. Boil one glass of lentils in two glasses of water for 20 minutes.
2. Finely chop the carrots and onions and fry in vegetable oil.
3. Combine vegetables with lentils, add a pinch of turmeric, cumin, red and black pepper. Salt.
4. Simmer over low heat until lentils are soft.
5. Use a blender to smooth and tender.
6. Add six cups of strong meat or vegetable stock.
7. Season with butter, sprinkle with chopped herbs and ground paprika.

Exotic green and black lentils

Black lentils are also called Beluga. The seeds are shiny, rich in color, very similar to black caviar, hence the nickname. This is a rather expensive product, as it is characterized by laborious harvesting.

Sprouted black lentils are very useful; they are added to salads. When boiled, it has a solid shape and a pleasant delicate taste. Beluga looks exotic on sandwiches. In Europe, delicious soups, exquisite sauces are prepared from it, and in Asian countries it is mixed with rice or added to vegetable stews.

Green lentils originated in France, in the small town of Puy, therefore they are sometimes called French or by the name of the city. It has a delicate, spicy swing and unusual flavors. Many gourmets consider this variety to be the most delicious in existence. Perfectly retains its shape during cooking and is recommended for preparing delicious dishes. It is best added to salads.

The Puy variety is not always available, so slightly unripe lentils are its counterpart. It is brownish green in color and does not boil over. It is easy to distinguish it from Puy, French lentils have a marble pattern on the grains.

1. Lentil grains must be uniform in shape and color. If there are small holes on its surface, it means that insects like it and is no longer suitable for food.
2. Do not mix beans purchased at different times, even if they are of the same variety. Older lentils will take longer to cook.
3. For a vegetable soup, the lentils are thrown first and cooked until half cooked, and then the rest of the products are added.
4. If you are making a broth-based lentil soup, cook the meat first and then add the beans.
5. To make the porridge crumbly, cook it, drain off excess water and leave to swell under the lid.
6. Bay leaves, sage, rosemary, cloves are perfectly combined with lentils, and onions, carrots, tomatoes, garlic are perfectly combined with vegetables.
7. It is better to add spices early, the taste will be more pronounced.
8. Cooked lentils can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
9. To avoid flatulence, add cloves.

Let's sum up

Now you know how healthy and nutritious lentils are. Do not neglect it, and your diet will be replenished with delicious dishes.

Lentils are a dietary product, have a low calorie content and are indispensable for a slim figure. It can be used to make not only soups and cereals, but also bread, salads, pastries, cutlets and even sweets.

This amazing plant is not able to accumulate toxins and does not lose its healing properties even after heat treatment. It's not for nothing that lentils are called the queen of beans.

Eat it with pleasure and be healthy!

This culture comes from legumes. Its appearance resembles colored peas of various sizes. The kernels can be as large as rice or larger than peas. The taste of the product corresponds to its origin; it has a pronounced legume with a light sweetness. Lentils are of different types: red, brown, green ...

Now we will focus on how to cook green lentils. This variety of legumes takes time to prepare, it is a rather capricious product, but do not panic right away, let's start with the simplest.

So how much should this product be boiled? And what can you cook from it?

Green lentil cooking rules

To cook delicious lentils, you need to heed the following tips:

For those who don't know what exactly to cook with these green grains, below are simple recipes preparing mouth-watering dishes.

Green lentil soup with croutons

Ingredients:

It is worth noting that this recipe will appeal to those housewives who cannot catch the moment of cooking the grains. Even if they are slightly overcooked, nothing terrible will happen, because they still need to be ground with a blender.

How much to cook green lentils has already been said above. First, it must be soaked in water for a couple of hours to make it softer and faster to cook, and put on fire.

Cooking method:

1. Peel and finely chop the onions and carrots. After that, the vegetables must be fried in olive oil until golden brown.
2. For croutons, the bread should be cut into cubes, put on a baking sheet and sent to the oven for 10 minutes. As soon as the croutons are fried, they must be pulled out and sprinkled with olive oil.
3. The cooked lentils are mixed with half of the aromatic vegetables, after which everything is salted, seasoned with spices of your choice, filled with water in which the legumes were cooked.
4. The resulting mass is whipped with a blender until a creamy structure is formed. Leftover onions and carrots are also put here.

It is better to serve puree soup in small bowls with the addition of low-fat cream and crackers.

The unique aroma of unusual peas and croutons, the tenderness of the structure of the soup will appeal to the whole family. Such a dish perfectly diversifies the dining table and will delight guests.

Smoke Lentils Recipe

Many people know that the combination of legumes with smoked meats is especially tasty. This recipe is intended for those housewives who want to please their loved ones with just such a dish, as well as know how to cook delicious green lentils.

Ingredients:

Here you need to carefully monitor the preparation of green culture. It's not as easy as making cereal. Do not be shy about trying it during cooking, so as not to spoil the product.

Overcooked grains don't look very nice, while undercooked food looks more like dried peas.

Cooking method:

1. Smoked meat should be chopped into strips, onions - into thin half rings, garlic - into slices;
2. First, you need to fry the smoked meats in sunflower oil, then toss the onions. As soon as it becomes transparent, add garlic to the pan, and after five minutes - boiled legumes without water;
3. Simmer everything together for another three minutes on minimal heat, pre-salt and pepper. When serving, sprinkle with fresh herbs.

The aroma will gather in the kitchen not only the whole family, but also all the neighbors from the street. Believe me, legumes with smoked meat and garlic will become a frequent guest on the table. The recipe, as you can see, is very simple, and the dish is very tasty and satisfying.

Lentils with mushrooms

Protein is necessary for the human body. This is the building material for our cells. Most of this substance is found in meat. But what if now fasting or vegetarianism has become the basis of life?

It turns out that legumes contain a sufficient amount of protein, which is why dishes made from them are excellent, and most importantly, for a long time, satisfy the feeling of hunger.

Ingredients:

After such a dish with mushrooms, you can understand that meat is not so important when there is so much tasty around and fasting can be done with pleasure.

Cooking method:

1. The lentils are cooked until tender.
2. Fry mushrooms with onions and carrots in butter.
3. As soon as the vegetables are browned, add lentils to them.
4. Season with salt, garlic, finely chopped herbs and pour cream over everything.
5. Simmer everything over low heat, otherwise the cream will curdle. The dish is ready in 5 minutes.

An amazing culture is endowed with many qualities. In addition to its high protein content, it contains many other beneficial trace elements. In our country, this culture is not very popular now, although Russia at one time was its supplier. Even loaves were baked from it.

It is difficult to answer why this type of legume is now so poorly in demand, but the fact remains. But the countries of Asia and North Africa are happy to use this useful product, what we wish you too!

Learn how to cook green lentils, eat for health!

As long as human civilization exists, so many people grow and eat lentils. This legume culture is thermophilic, therefore, among the Slavic peoples, it cannot be found in folk cuisines. But in the Mediterranean countries, it is used everywhere and in honor as an inexpensive, healthy and easy-to-prepare product. And most importantly, delicious! After all, it is for lentil stew, and not for honey cakes, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob (Genesis: 25). We have these small beans, similar to peas, you can buy in almost all supermarkets. In this article, we will talk about how to cook delicious lentils, what secrets you need to know so as not to digest them, and which variety you need to choose for different dishes.

The benefits and calorie content of the product

Lentils contain very little fat - only 2 g per 100 g of product, but they are high in protein and carbohydrates - 21 g and 49 g, respectively. However, it is quite nutritious. Its energy value is 298 calories. Lentil contains protein that is easily digestible in the body. Also, this type of legume contains boron, iodine, potassium, calcium, cobalt, manganese and copper, iron and zinc, cobalt and molybdenum. Lentils are also rich in isoflavones - substances that are useful for the prevention of breast cancer. The folic acid contained in it strengthens the immune system, has a beneficial effect on metabolism, and normalizes the functioning of the genitourinary system. Lentils are prescribed in therapeutic diets. It is mainly used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, and especially for ulcers. The product is also useful for its high composition of vitamins, especially PP, A and group B. But you need to know how to cook lentils so that these useful properties do not dissolve in boiling water and do not evaporate with steam.

Which variety to choose

Since ancient times, two varieties of small lentils have been known - red and brown. They grew in Egypt, Israel, Syria - countries with very hot climates. The French, reputed to be big gourmets, tried to create a variety of lentils that would be adapted to colder winters, and they succeeded. True, the lentils turned out to be green. She, like other types of legumes, needs more preparation.

But the taste is simply wonderful - tender, somewhat reminiscent of fresh peas. Based on whether you have purchased green French or Egyptian red and brown, it is worth considering how to make lentils. The first grade does not boil soft, perfectly keeps its shape and is suitable for side dishes. Brown lentils, if handled carelessly, can turn into porridge, so you need to make sure that they are not overcooked. The red makes an excellent puree.

The mild taste of Egyptian lentils harmonizes well with meat, poultry and mushrooms. To diversify and enrich the neutral flavor of the side dish, add spices and herbs during cooking. Before cooking, it must be carefully sorted out and rinsed in cool water, removing debris. Some recipes even recommend soaking your green lentils before boiling. Then it is poured with cold water in a 1: 2 ratio and put on a small fire. When the liquid boils, add a little olive oil (about half a tablespoon) and a variety of seasonings: rosemary, bay leaf, sage, celery. The green lentils are boiled under the lid ajar for about 40 minutes, stirring regularly so as not to burn.

Brown and red are thrown into boiling water and boiled under a closed lid for 25 and 20 minutes, respectively. You need to salt the side dish only 5 minutes before the end of the cooking process.

Lentils in a slow cooker

Modern kitchen appliances are designed to facilitate the work of a cook. If you have a slow cooker in your house, you don't need to do magic by the stove, constantly stirring lentils. Your side dish won't boil over or burn. It is enough just to measure the required amount of water, and the device itself will maintain the set temperature. In a slow cooker, you can also cook red lentil soup, and it is better to stew the brown variety with meat.

Here's a basic recipe for how to multicooker lentils. Chop the onion in half rings and chop the medium-sized carrot into strips. Place them in the bowl of the machine. Fill vegetables with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and turn on the unit to the "Fry" mode. Set the time to 15 minutes. Rinse the lentils (one multi-glass) and add to the fried vegetables. Fill with cold water. If the lentils have been pre-soaked, you will need two multi-cups of liquid, and if not, four. We set the mode "Buckwheat". Along with the side dish, you can also cook meat. We put its pieces on the wire rack, put on top. In this case, select the "Steam cooking" mode, and set the timer for 40 minutes.

Sultry breath of India

Now let's look at individual recipes. So what can you make with lentils? Let's turn for inspiration to the cuisine of those countries where this type of legume has been used for centuries. Let's prepare a popular Indian dish - dhansak. It can be cooked with shrimp, chicken, lamb, but the base is red lentils. We wash 350 g of the main product, put it in a saucepan, salt, pepper (black and hot red), fill it with water. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat until soft. If there is too much water, it must be drained, if there is not enough water, add boiling water. Simultaneously heat a spoon or two of vegetable oil in a frying pan and fry the following spices for about two minutes: 6 boxes of crushed cardamom, 2 teaspoons each of mustard seeds, turmeric, cinnamon and chili powder. Add to them two finely chopped onions, chopped 10 cm ginger root, 4 cloves of garlic. We fry all this for five minutes. Put shrimps or meat in the pan. Fry, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add pineapple pieces, 8 small chopped tomatoes and boiled lentils. Pour a little hot water and simmer under the lid for about five minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

Pour 3 liters of water into a large saucepan, salt and pepper, put on fire. We put two carrots cut into large pieces and a chopped large onion there. When the vegetables are completely cooked, add 150 g of brown or red lentils and various spices (parsley, dill, garlic, Provencal herbs). Cook for 20-25 minutes until lentils are soft. Cool the soup a little and grind the contents with a blender. Pour in a glass of cream, bring to a boil and serve with croutons.

Vegetarian meatballs

And here is a recipe for how to cook lentils as an independent dish. To do this, use its red variety in the amount of 350 g. Pour cold water over the lentils and leave in a cool place overnight. Change the liquid in the morning and cook until tender. Grind until puree in a blender or food processor. You need to try to make the porridge very thick. To do this, spread the puree on a piece of strong cloth and squeeze out the excess liquid. Add a teaspoon of red pepper, salt, caraway seeds, chopped cilantro, a pinch of black pepper to the lentils. Knead the puree well. We form the meatballs with our palms, bread in breadcrumbs and fry in ghee until golden brown. In a separate cup, mix 225 g of natural yoghurt with the juice of one lemon. Pour hot meatballs with this sauce.

Salad

How to make lentils for a snack? First, prepare the salad dressing. Mix hot pepper, three leaves of basil and a clove of garlic, grind with a pestle and fill with two tablespoons of olive oil. In a salad bowl we chop 10 cherry tomatoes, 2-3 green onion feathers, three 50 g of hard cheese. Cook separately 100 g of green lentils. When it cools down, add to the salad. Stir and fill with flavored oil.

Hundreds of years ago, residents Ancient Rome, Egypt and Greece used lentils in cooking, in Russia they even baked bread from it. Today, they do not show due interest in such a culture and it is completely in vain, because lentils have unique healing properties and amazing taste. You can cook many dishes from it: soups, cereals, side dishes, casseroles and much more. Introducing delicious and simple lentil recipes.

Side dish lentils - a simple and delicious recipe

Lentils are a unique product that eliminates hunger for a long time, saturates the body with vitamins and nutrients. The brown, red and green varieties are mainly used for the preparation of side dishes. They go perfectly with meat and fish dishes, as well as with vegetables - pumpkin, potatoes and cabbage.

Brown lentil garnish

Brown lentils are distinguished by their delicate nutty aroma, they are not capricious in terms of processing.

Ingredients:

220 g brown lentils;
2 tomatoes;
2 onions;
4 tbsp. tablespoons of olive oil;
a slice of lemon, salt, pepper.

Cooking method:

1. Pour the beans with boiling water and leave for an hour. As soon as they swell, put the lentils in a colander.
2. Peel the tomatoes, chop the pulp, finely chop the onion.
3. Preheat a frying pan with olive oil, first fry the onions, then add the tomatoes, simmer the vegetables for about 3 minutes.
4. After a few minutes add beans to vegetables, pour in a glass of warm water, season with spices, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Season the finished lentils with a sauce of olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with finely chopped herbs.

Red lentils for garnish

Red lentils are difficult to spoil. It can be used to prepare an original side dish with a spicy-sweet aftertaste.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils (red);
3 chili peppers;
leek;
3-4 cloves of garlic;
curry, salt, pepper.

Cooking method:

1. Thoroughly rinse the beans, fill with water (0.5 l), put on fire and bring to a boil. Cook the lentils over low heat for 20 minutes, the grains should become soft.
2. Chop onion, garlic and pepper, sauté for a few minutes in vegetable oil, adding a little curry.
3. Add boiled beans, salt, pepper to vegetables and simmer under a closed lid for 10 minutes.

Green lentil garnish

The green bean garnish can be served as a standalone dietary dish if you use olive or vegetable oil instead of butter.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils (green);
onion;
carrot;
a clove of garlic;
butter;
thyme, salt, pepper.

Cooking method:

1. Fill the lentils with water, cook over low heat until soft.
2. Fry chopped onions, garlic, carrots in oil.
3. Combine the finished lentils with vegetables, season with salt, pepper and thyme. We simmer for a few minutes, serve.

Hearty porridge with vegetables

It is better to use red lentils for cooking. It cooks quickly and looks great when finished. You can add different products to porridge, but do not get carried away, because lentils have a pleasant taste.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
carrot;
celery root;
bulb;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
2-3 tomatoes;
medium-sized turnip (if desired);
vegetable (corn) oil.

Cooking method:

1. Wash the lentils and boil until tender.
2. Remove the peel from the tomatoes, finely chop the pulp. Chop the onion, garlic and carrot. Cut the turnips into cubes or three on a large grater.
3. Stew all vegetables with a little water in a saucepan, adding vegetable oil.
4. Once the vegetables are ready, add the lentils and simmer for another 10 minutes. Lentil porridge is ready, sprinkle with chopped herbs and serve.

Creamy soup with croutons

Lentil puree soup is a hearty, tasty, healthy dish. For its preparation, chefs use a red culture, which boils well and gives the desired texture.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
400 ml of chicken broth;
red onion;
carrot;
Art. a spoonful of tomato paste;
a clove of garlic;
toast;
slice of lemon;
pepper, salt, cumin.

Cooking method:

1. Put lentil grains, chopped onions, garlic, tomato paste, pepper, a pinch of caraway seeds in a saucepan, fill everything with chicken broth. We put on fire and cook until the beans and vegetables are completely boiled.
2. As soon as the ingredients become soft, remove the pan from the heat, add salt, lemon juice and use a blender to beat until puree consistency.
3. Serve lentil soup with croutons and mint leaves.

Lentil cutlets

The best alternative to meat dishes can be lentil cutlets. Thanks to their unique properties, they are satisfying and nutritious. Since lentils are quite soft in structure, it is not necessary to add eggs to the products. It is best to use vegetables such as squash, carrots, pumpkin or potatoes.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
onion;
carrot;
3 cloves of garlic;
a teaspoon of caraway seeds and coriander;
salt, parsley, olive oil.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the lentils for 20 minutes, drain the water, cool completely.
2. Put boiled beans, chopped onion, garlic, parsley, grated carrots and spices into the blender bowl. You can add some bread crumbs. We mix everything.
3. Form cutlets from minced meat, lightly roll them in bread crumbs and fry in olive oil until crisp.
4. Ready cutlets can be garnished with lettuce leaves, red onion rings, pour over sour cream.

Lentil Diet Salad

The peculiarity of lentils is that it contains a lot of nutrients and trace elements, and the fat content is reduced to zero. Therefore, with the help of a light salad with lentils, you can quickly lose weight.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
Red onion:
green onions;
carrot;
a clove of garlic;
2 tbsp. spoons of wine bite and the same amount of lemon juice;
a bunch of parsley;
olive oil, salt.

Cooking method:

1. Pour the beans with water, cook for 40 minutes. Pour the finished beans into a colander, rinse under running water.
2. Prepare the sauce. Take a spoonful of olive oil, mix with chopped garlic, wine vinegar and lemon juice.
3. Chop red, green onions and parsley. Cut the carrots into small cubes.
4. Put lentils in a salad bowl, add prepared vegetables, fill with sauce, mix and put salad in refrigerator for 45 minutes.

Tomato soup with legumes

Lentil tomato soup will take its rightful place on the menu. A bright, appetizing, truly spring dish, which harmoniously combines the nutty taste of beans, a slight sourness of tomatoes and the pleasant sweetness of bell pepper.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
500 ml tomato juice;
carrot;
bulb;
2 cloves of garlic;
bell pepper;
200 ml of meat broth;
2-3 st. tablespoons of olive oil;
salt.

Cooking method:

1. Pre-soak the beans in cold water, boil until half cooked.
2. Fry chopped onions and carrots in olive oil.
3. Add small bell pepper cubes to the vegetables and simmer them for a few minutes.
4. Pour broth into vegetables, simmer until cooked.
5. Put ready-made vegetables, lentils in a saucepan, add spices, chopped garlic. Pour tomato juice, mix and put on the stove. As soon as the soup boils, remove from heat, cover with a lid and let it brew for 20 minutes.
6. Serve tomato cream soup with sour cream and parsley.

Cooking option with mushrooms

Lentils with mushrooms are a tasty and not difficult dish to prepare. Thanks to its velvety and mild taste, the recipe is sure to be appreciated even by those who don't like bean dishes.

Ingredients:

200 g beans;
150 g dried mushrooms;
onion;
carrot;
sunflower oil.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the grains, boil for 30 minutes.
2. Soak the dried mushrooms so that the bitterness leaves them.
3. Chop the carrots and onions.
4. First fry the mushrooms in a pan with sunflower oil. Then add onions, carrots, spices and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
5. As soon as vegetables with mushrooms are ready, pour in boiling water (half a glass) and simmer for a few more minutes.
6. Add the finished lentils to vegetables with mushrooms, cover, simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Lentils with chicken and bell pepper

For those who are looking for a recipe for an original and delicious dish for a festive table, then cooked lentils with vegetables and chicken will definitely decorate the table.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils;
2 chicken breasts (fillets);
3 cloves of garlic;
2 heads of onions;
2 sweet peppers;
2 small apples (Antonovka, Granny);
h. a spoonful of chili;
olive oil.

Cooking method:

1. In order for it to take not so much time to cook, it is better to pre-soak the lentils, you can leave them overnight. Then rinse with water and cook for half an hour over low heat.
2. While the beans are cooking, you can prepare the rest of the ingredients. We take the bell pepper, cut it into cubes. Peel the apples and cut into slices. Sprinkle pepper and apples with oil and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees.
3. Take a frying pan and fry chopped onion in vegetable oil. As soon as the onion becomes transparent, add the chicken fillet pieces and fry.
4. Add baked peppers and apples to the fried chicken and onions, as well as chopped garlic and chili peppers for piquancy.
5. It remains to add the lentils, mix everything and stew a little so that all the ingredients can absorb each other's juices.

Indian dal - step by step recipe

Dal is a traditional Indian dish. Even in the poorest households in India, this soup is a must on the table. For its preparation, different types of legumes are used, as well as spices and spices, which give the dish a unique taste and aroma.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
3 tomatoes;
white onions;
3 cloves of garlic;
h. spoons of sesame;
h. spoon of mustard seeds;
h. spoon of caraway seeds;
h. spoon of turmeric;
bay leaf;
2 tbsp. tablespoons of lemon juice;
sunflower oil, salt, parsley.

Cooking method:

1. Pour lentils with 3 glasses of cold water and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Peel the tomatoes and cut the pulp into small cubes.
3. Saute chopped onion and garlic in a frying pan with heated oil.
4. As soon as the vegetables are slightly fried, add mustard grains, turmeric, caraway seeds to them, mix and continue cooking for a few more minutes. Add sesame seeds at the end. Put vegetables and tomatoes into almost finished lentils. Add bay leaf, lemon juice and salt to taste. Cook the soup for 10 minutes.
5. Garnish the Indian lentil dal with parsley leaves and serve with flat cakes.

Chicken liver appetizer

Lentils have a peculiarity, they do not absorb harmful substances and toxins, so the dishes are not only tasty, but also healthy.

Ingredients:

250 g lentils;
bulb;
400 g chicken liver;
a teaspoon of coriander and black pepper;
salt, vegetable oil, dill greens.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the lentils until tender.
2. In a saucepan, heat up the vegetable oil, fry the chopped onion until golden brown.
3. Then add chicken liver to it and fry until tender.
4. Add lentils, spices to the chicken liver with onions, stir and simmer for a few more minutes. Decorate the finished dish with chopped herbs.

Lentil pate with nuts

A wide variety of dishes can be prepared from lentils. For example, bean pate with walnuts. This is a great choice as a brown bread sandwich. Despite the fact that pate is not the most appetizing dish on appearance, but its taste and aroma compensate for this lack.

Ingredients:

250 g lentils;
bulb;
carrot;
80 g of walnuts;
salt, pepper, sunflower oil.

Cooking method:

1. Boil the lentils for 20 minutes.
2. Chop onion and carrots, fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.
3. Walnuts can be ground in a coffee grinder.
4. Put the ready-made lentils, vegetables, nuts into a deep container, add spices and mix the ingredients with a blender until a homogeneous texture is obtained, that is, a paste. The finished appetizer can be put in bowls and garnished with quarters of nuts.

Lentil casserole with cheese

The lentil casserole is an excellent choice for a light dinner. A healthy and incredibly tasty dish will be especially appreciated by those who choose healthy image life.

Ingredients:

220 g beans;
100 g of Adyghe cheese;
egg;
h. spoon of curry;
salt.

Cooking method:

1. Rinse the lentils and cook until all the liquid is gone.
2. Drive an egg, salt, curry into the cooled overcooked lentils and add the Adyghe cheese, which you can simply crumble with your hands.
3. Take a baking dish, cover it with parchment paper and spread out the dough. We bake the dish in the oven at 200 degrees for an hour.

Stew with tomatoes and corn

Lentil stew with vegetables is an aromatic, satisfying and mouth-watering dish. Lentils go well with all vegetables, and if you add a little spice and garlic, an amazing taste is born.

Ingredients:

220 g lentils;
5-6 tomatoes (700 g of tomatoes in their own juice);
2 carrots;
2-3 cloves of garlic;
2 onions;
80 g of corn;
200 ml of vegetable broth;
Art. a spoonful of red wine vinegar;
2 teaspoons of curry, cumin, salt;
black pepper, olive oil.

Cooking method:

1. In a preheated pan in olive oil, fry the chopped onions and carrots. As soon as the vegetables are browned, add chopped garlic to them and fry for another minute.
2. Put the tomatoes in a deep container, grind them with a blender.
3. Put the washed beans, fried vegetables, tomatoes, corn and all the spices in a saucepan. Mix, pour in the broth and put on the stove. As soon as the stew boils, reduce the heat and simmer under the lid for 40 minutes.
4. Allow the finished dish to steep, and before serving, season with wine vinegar.

Curry with black lentils and chickpeas

Lentil curry is the most popular dish in Sri Lanka. Black bean curry is hearty, healthy, and delicious. Especially impressive is the taste of the beans, which are boiled in coconut milk along with seasonings.

You can make coconut milk yourself or purchase a ready-made product. But the taste of homemade versus commercial are two huge differences. Coconut milk is easy to make. This will require one coconut and water. Peel the coconut, grate the pulp on a fine grater, pour it over with water and squeeze it with your hands for a few minutes. As soon as the water turns white, filter the milk through a sieve.

Ingredients:

200 g lentils (black);
200 g chickpeas;
bulb;
50 g ginger;
2 cloves of garlic;
2 tomatoes;
300 ml coconut milk;
2 teaspoons of caraway seeds, coriander;
h. spoons of turmeric;
1 tsp curry

Cooking method:

1. Soak lentils and chickpeas for 2 hours. Boil the swollen beans for an hour.
2. Pour vegetable, if any, coconut oil into a saucepan. Fry chopped onions in it.
3. Once the onion is browned, add chopped garlic and ginger. Cook for a few more minutes, add coriander and caraway seeds. We are waiting for a couple of minutes for all the seasonings to reveal their aroma. Now you can add finely chopped tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Combine ready-made beans with vegetables, add turmeric and curry powder, pour a glass of water and cook for 20 minutes. After the time has passed, add the coconut milk, bring to a boil and turn off the heat.
5. The dish can be served with herbs and rice.

Features of cooking lentil dishes

1. There are about ten varieties of lentils, which differ in color, shape and preparation method. Therefore, it is important to know which variety is suitable for preparing a particular dish.
 black, green and brown are suitable for cooking cereals;
 Orange, yellow, and red are good options for soups and stews.
2. Processing time also depends on the variety. French lentils boil quickly, red and brown lentils take a little longer, green lentils take the longest to cook.
3. Sort and rinse the grains before cooking. It is not necessary to soak them, just as you should not add salt to the water, which will only hinder their rapid digestion.
4. Proportions: for salads 1: 1, for cereals and stews, the amount of water can be doubled.
5. Using spices such as coriander, black pepper, turmeric, dried and fresh ginger will help the body absorb legumes easily.

Minimum fat, no contraindications, they are perfectly absorbed by the body, endowing all organs with the necessary vitamins and amino acids. It is these qualities that characterize recipes in the best way in which lentils prevail - the most valuable source of trace elements and vegetable protein. The benefits are undoubtedly a huge plus for this product, but what about the range of dishes? But in the culinary field, these small beans have succeeded.

Culinary possibilities of lentils

Lentil recipes were known to mankind thousands of years ago, because it was these grains that were the basis of ancient agriculture and, accordingly, the diet.

This legume culture was most widespread in the lands of Asia, but it was also revered in the territory of the Slavs from time immemorial.

Despite the abundance of varieties of lentils, only 4 of its varieties have found widespread use for culinary purposes:

• green (French),
• red (Egyptian),
• brown,
• black (Canadian).

In addition to their taste, these multi-colored seeds also differ in cooking time and in the firmness of the seeds.

The subtleties of cooking

So, if we need either 1 hour of cooking or 10 hours of soaking to cook French lentils, then brown and red beans will take two or even three times less time for everything.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that the green look practically does not boil over, and it is reasonable to use it for salads, soups and stews.

Red and brown lentils can be used to make excellent porridge, casserole or puree soup, taking into account the fact that they fall apart during cooking.

Yes, and such bean brethren grows in the course of cooking, too, is great, considering that in 1 glass there are 210 g of dry cereal, then at the exit we can get about 4 glasses (850-1000 g) of the finished product. And how many wonderful recipes include this ingredient, you are simply amazed.

And with what can be made from lentils and how to prepare various dishes from these legumes, we can get acquainted in detail in this lentil post with vivid photos of these very dishes. And already best recipe you will choose for yourself, according to your personal taste preferences.

Lentil soups simply amaze with their assortment, originality and taste. And their cooking itself does not require any specific talents from the culinary specialist, everything is easy and affordable.

And for the preparation of first courses of lentils in a multicooker, special control is not required at all: I loaded the products, set the “soup” or “cooking” program and let the wonderful pan “puff” for ourselves while we go about our business.

Smoked soup

For those who have not yet had the pleasure of tasting the mind-blowing lentil soup, this recipe will be a real discovery. Without wasting time, put on an apron and go.

Ingredients

• Brown lentils - 1st tbsp.;
• Smoked brisket - 200 g;
• Chicken drumstick - 0.3 kg;
• Potato tubers - 3 pcs.;
• Carrot - 1 root vegetable;
• Onion bulb -1 pc.;
• Powdered black pepper - ½ tsp;
• Lavrushka - 1 leaf;
• Dill and parsley greens - 1 bunch;

Preparation

1. We wash the groats well and soak them for half an hour in boiling water.
2. In the meantime, prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onion into cubes, and grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Then we set the “baking” or “frying” program on the multicooker, pour a little oil into the bowl and send the vegetable slices to fry a little until golden brown.
3. Next, pour water into the container, spread the swollen lentils, potatoes cut into bars, chicken shanks and slices of smoked brisket. And after the soup is salted to taste and sprinkled with pepper and laurel, we set the “soup” or “stew” program for 40 minutes.
4. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, finely chopped greens must be added to the soup.

This hearty and surprisingly tasty lunch should be served in deep bowls, seasoned with a spoonful of sour cream.

Diet puree soup

This is ideal for the spring diet. A bunch of vitamins, a minimum of calories and carbohydrates, since there is no place for potatoes! And, importantly, it will take no more than half an hour to cook. So, let's begin:

1. Rinse the red lentils (1 glass) and set it to boil with water (2 liters). After 10 minutes, we send to her 300 g of cauliflower, disassembled into small inflorescences, 200 g of zucchini cut into small cubes, 100 g of grated celery root and a whole onion.
2. After 20 minutes, remove the onion and discard it, we got the flavor and color we need from it, and we don't need it anymore. Salt the soup itself to taste, sprinkle it with spices if desired (turmeric, saffron, black or red pepper) and season with celery or dill (1 bunch).
3. Now, with the help of a blender, we turn our lunch into a puree mass and put it in a soup bowl, decorating with rye croutons on top.

Lentil porridge

Who would have thought that in the world there are so many options for dishes for the second, where lentils are the main person involved. Cutlets and meatballs, zrazy and dumplings, side dishes and casseroles, the brightness of the taste of this bean culture most favorably emphasizes all these recipes with photos.

And what delicious cereals can be prepared from these red grains. This delicacy will perfectly fit into a healthy diet, because it not only normalizes metabolic processes in the body, but also strengthens the immune defense.

And you can cook porridge like this:

• Boil the washed grains of red lentils (2 cups) in salted water (4 cups) until tender for half an hour over low heat.
• While the groats are boiling, prepare the sautéing. Grind the onion (1 head) and carrot (1 root vegetable) into thin strips and fry until golden brown in hot oil (50 ml).
• After that, mix the frying with boiled lentils, add a little black pepper (1/3 tsp) and herbs if desired.

The dish is ready.

This original and very simple dish will definitely become a signature treat of any meal.

For cooking, we need:

• 1 cup green lentils soaked for 10 hours
• 2 boiled potato tubers,
• 1 onion head,
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp wheat flour,
• ½ tbsp. bread crumbs,
• 200 g cheese
• salt and pepper to taste.

1. We pass the boiled cereals, potatoes and diced and then fried in oil onions through a meat grinder, or puree in a blender. Add flour, pressed garlic, salt, spices to the resulting mass and mix well.
2. Put the breadcrumbs in a heat-resistant form, greased with sunflower oil, and on top of which we spread the resulting minced meat. Sprinkle grated cheese on top of the casserole and send the baking sheet into an oven preheated to 180 ° C for 20 minutes.

The casserole should be served hot with sour cream sauce and garlic grated with salt.

Lentil Zrazy

Lentil zrazy will perfectly complement the lunch menu with any side dish, be it vegetable salad, pasta or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

• Brown lentils - 1 glass;
• Turnip onions - 5-7 heads;
• Chicken egg - 4 pcs.;
• Breading crackers - 1 glass;
• Salt to taste;
• Garlic cloves - 4 pcs.;
• Hops-suneli - 1 tsp with a slide;
• Ground black pepper - ½ tsp;

Preparation

1. Rinse the legumes soaked for 4 hours and put them on a sieve.
2. Meanwhile, fry the onion finely chopped into cubes in oil until light brown, then twist it in a blender along with lentils and garlic until smooth.
3. Salt and pepper the resulting gruel, season with spices and mix with 2 raw eggs. Boil the remaining 3 eggs hard-boiled and cut ¼ lengthwise.
4. We make cakes from minced meat, inside which we put slices of boiled eggs and then form oblong cutlets. Next, roll them in breadcrumbs and simmer under the lid for 5 minutes, and then fry in oil in a frying pan for 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

This is just a small fraction of all the dishes that lentils can give us. Recipes with this cereal are incredibly tasty, nutritious and interesting, which allows them to be included in the diet of vegetarians and on the menu on Orthodox fasting days.