How long to cook lentils in soup. Green lentil dishes: recipes with photos. Selection and proper storage

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

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

The nutritional value of lentils is enormous, containing more than sixty percent vegetable protein and a wide range of minerals and trace elements. It is not for nothing that among the monks in Rus' it was the main source of nutrition during Lent; many dishes can be prepared from it: soups, pastries, side dishes.

From a medical point of view, the queen of beans is simply a storehouse of health. It strengthens the immune system and improves metabolism. Regular consumption will not only improve the health of the body, but also cure many ailments.

Normalizes blood sugar levels, which means it is useful for patients with diabetes.
Rich in B vitamins, which act as an antioxidant and protect the body from the effects of toxins, alcohol and nicotine poisoning.
With gastritis and ulcers, pain subsides and heartburn disappears.
Prevention of oncology – prevents the formation of cancer cells.
Useful for nervous disorders, a kind of depressant.

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

So colorful!

There are several varieties of lentils.

Brown. The most common type, rich in iron, prevents anemia. It is mainly used to make soups. It has a nutty aroma and is good in combination with meat.
Red, or Egyptian. It is practically devoid of shell, so it boils instantly. It is recommended to make purees, pates, and soups from it.
Puy, or green. Rich in fiber, the variety was bred in the French city of Puy. It has a subtle aroma and smell of pepper. It is not subject to overcooking and is recommended for adding to salads.
Yellow. Sanded green lentils. Used for pureed dishes.
Black, or Beluga. It is small in size and looks like black caviar. Contains a large amount of ascorbic acid, which means it helps with colds. Often used for salads, useful when sprouted. After cooking, it retains its shape and, due to its unusual color, adds piquancy and originality to dishes.

Place the prepared cereal in boiling water and cook over low heat, remembering to stir. Tomatoes should be salted or added at the end 5-10 minutes before readiness, since a salty or acidified environment doubles the cooking time.

During the cooking process, it is advisable to add spices and a little oil, preferably olive oil. This will make the grains more tender and soft, as well as more aromatic.

How long will it take

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

Red and yellow cook 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 long lentils are cooked depending on the cooking method:

multicooker – 50 min.;
microwave – 7-12 minutes;
steamer – 1 hour.

How much water do you need

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

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

It has long been firmly established in our lives; it allows you to quickly prepare dishes in automatic mode. However, not every housewife knows how to cook lentils.

Use the “Stew” and “Porridge” modes. If a dish consists of several ingredients, then the legumes should be added last.

Lentils with mushrooms are prepared as follows.

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

In this way you can cook lentils with meat, chicken, and vegetables. Be sure to use spices, they reveal the taste and aroma brighter.

Features of microwave cooking

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 bowl, add salt, add spices and add hot water so that it covers the beans by 1.5-2 cm. Place in the microwave, no need to close the lid. Set to maximum setting and cook for 7-10 minutes. The lentils turn out crumbly, the grains are whole and elastic.

Cooking in a steamer

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

Place one and a half glasses of any lentils in a container, pour in a glass of water, add butter, spices and salt to taste. Set the time to 1 hour. After cooking, taste it; to achieve the required softness, you can add a few more minutes.

How to cook lentils so that they are healthy and tasty? There are many recipes, add your imagination, don’t be afraid to experiment, and you can please your loved ones with unusual dishes.

Porridge

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

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

Before serving, sprinkle the porridge with finely chopped herbs.

Puree

Throw the lentils into boiling water in a ratio of 1:2. Cook for about 15 minutes with the addition of a spoonful of vegetable oil, this will make the beans softer and more tender. Finally add salt and spices. To make the puree smooth, beat or pass through a sieve.

Serve the puree 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 rich in proteins and microelements. In the cold season, it saturates, warms, adds piquancy and a touch of exoticism.

This is the recipe for the classic soup.

Boil one glass of lentils in two glasses of water for 20 minutes.
Finely chop the carrots and onions and fry in vegetable oil.
Combine vegetables with lentils, add a pinch of turmeric, cumin, red and black pepper. Add some salt.
Simmer over low heat until the lentils are soft.
Use a blender to ensure smoothness and tenderness.
Add six cups of strong meat or vegetable broth.
Season with butter, sprinkle with chopped herbs and ground paprika.

Exotic green and black lentils

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

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

Green lentils were bred in France, in the small town of Puy, so they are sometimes called French or after the name of the city. It has a subtle, spicy flavor and unusual flavor tones. Many gourmets consider this variety to be the most delicious of all. It retains its shape perfectly when cooked and is recommended for preparing gourmet dishes. It is best added to salads.

The Puy variety is not always available, so its analogue is slightly unripe lentils. It is brown-green in color and does not boil soft. It is easy to distinguish it from Puy; French lentils have a marbled pattern on the grains.

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

Let's sum it up

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

Lentils are a dietary product, low in calories and indispensable for a slim figure. You can use it to make not only soups and cereals, but also bread, salads, pastries, cutlets and even candies.

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!

Humanity has been using lentils in its diet for many millennia. It is a huge success among vegetarians, because lentils are an excellent replacement for animal protein.

This legume plant has several varieties. True, not all housewives know how to properly cook lentils so that the benefits and taste of this cereal are not wasted. It's time to find out.

Preparation before cooking

Before you start cooking any variety of lentils, you need to rinse the grains in cold water. After washing, debris will be clearly visible on the surface - it must be removed.

Lentil beans do not need to be pre-soaked, as is done, for example, with beans or peas.

They do not cook for long, so such measures are unnecessary.

Some housewives cook lentils in salted or acidified water to give them an original taste. In this case, the cooking time increases. Therefore, it is recommended to salt the dish only at the final stage of cooking.

But in order to prepare a lentil dish correctly, tasty and not overcook, you need to lower it into already boiling water.

After boiling again, reduce the heat to low and cook without lifting the lid for 10 to 40 minutes. The exact time to cook the lentils also depends on the variety of this legume.

Different varieties dictate the following cooking times:

red grains – half an hour;
brown beans - 25 minutes;
green varieties – 40 minutes;
orange grains – 20 minutes.

Variety of lentil side dishes

The simplest side dish is made from green lentils, because this is the variety that best retains its shape. The red one may overcook and the dish will be too soft. Although if you time it correctly, these disadvantages can be avoided.

The side dish is prepared in a proportional ratio of cereals to water 1:2. The main thing in its preparation is to simmer over low heat and add salt 5 minutes before it is ready.

Another side dish option is with vegetables. It takes a long time to prepare. But it is precisely this combination that is most beneficial for the body. And besides, it’s very tasty.

To make it you need to take:

lentils – 1 cup;
tomato – 2 pcs.;
onion – 1 pc.;
medium-sized carrots – 2 pcs.;
a bunch of dill;
vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. spoons;
coriander;
pepper;
salt.

Tomato paste is a good substitute for tomatoes if you don’t have any on hand.

There is no need to soak the lentils before cooking; it is recommended to immediately lower the product into boiling water. While the side dish is preparing, you can do the vegetables: grate the carrots, chop the tomatoes, onions and dill. After frying the onions, add the remaining vegetables to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

The next step is to drain the water from the lentils and add it to the vegetables. Sprinkle the dish with dill, coriander and pepper. To bring a side dish with vegetables to its logical conclusion, you need to leave it to simmer a little under a closed lid.

Cooking lentils in a slow cooker: tasty and fast

To prepare legumes in a slow cooker, you need to take simple products:

for 1 cup of lentils – 2 cups of water;
onion – 1 head;
adjiki – 4 tbsp. spoons;
carrots – 1 pc.;
garlic – 2 cloves;
salt;
spices.

The process consists of the following main stages:

grate carrots
peel and chop the onion,
fry the prepared foods in a multicooker on the “Baking” mode,
squeeze garlic into vegetable mixture, fry for another 10 minutes,
rinse the lentils under running water, but do not soak them,
add the cereal to the fried vegetables in the slow cooker,
add water, salt and pepper,
season with homemade adjika. If desired, you can use tomato paste instead.

Set the multicooker to “Porridge”, “Pilaf”, “Buckwheat” or “Rice” mode. Approximate cooking time is about an hour. Keep an eye on your readiness, since the exact time is difficult to establish.

Properly cooked lentils are not only a healthy dish, but also tasty.

It will be appreciated by all your household members. And knowing how much and how to cook lentils, you can fantasize and invent more and more new dishes for your personal and healthy menu.

There is nothing complicated about how to cook green lentils. All you need to do is wash it or skip this step, remove the foam or not, and decide whether you have an extra hour of time or not.

If you read professional online cooks, you get just such a vague impression. Some housewives spend half an hour washing the cereal in 100 waters, others say that this can be skipped. Still others soak the legumes altogether. What to do?

Fortunately, all these problems are caused by the fact that people massively confuse green and brown lentils and make their task as difficult as possible by using a regular saucepan instead of a slow cooker. Yes, in the modern world there are no problems with cooking legumes and there cannot be.

Composition and benefits of green lentils

Green cereals are the most “natural and organic” of all. It is characterized by minimal industrial processing, cooks quite quickly thanks to small grains and provides our body with proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Compared to other legumes, this product allows you to cope with cooking much faster and enjoy a delicious soup or a hearty second meal within an hour after opening the bag of cereal.

The beneficial properties of lentils are due to its composition:

The natural grain shells of legumes contain large amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber. It cleanses the intestines, helps proper digestion, improves the state of gastrointestinal flora, and helps the absorption of water-soluble vitamins and minerals. Fiber is the key to a healthy, moderate appetite, therefore it is recommended for those losing weight. It is an important component of the diet of pregnant women, children and the elderly.
Complex carbohydrates - 2/3 of the calorie content of this cereal. They give people energy for physical and mental work and help burn fat. Complex carbohydrates take part in metabolism, breaking down into simple ones, and this is a rather long process, which means that dishes with them are much more satiating than the usual buns and chocolates. A serving of lentil porridge will keep you from feeling hungry for about 4 hours.
Plant proteins in green lentils provide us with amino acids for building muscles, restoring immunity and regenerating skin. Such proteins do not contain the full composition of amino acids and therefore require supplementation. You can get all the benefits from lentils by supplementing them with lean meat in your diet. Vegetarians are advised to cook lentils with brown rice to get more healthy amino acids.
The B vitamins in green lentils keep our nervous system healthy, promote proper metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, and make it easier to tolerate calorie-deficient diets.

In addition, the cereal contains selenium, iron, zinc and magnesium. These microelements promote healthy hormonal and nervous systems and help maintain a healthy weight despite age-related changes.

Important: this dish is not recommended for people during periods of exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver, as well as for those who have an individual intolerance to legumes. In the diets of the Soviet school of nutrition, it is also prohibited for people with cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure, as it can contribute to abnormally active gas formation.

How to cook lentils correctly

The rules for cooking green lentils are quite simple. It can be soaked for 4-12 hours if the goal is to prepare puree soup, pasta or a dish for a person suffering from increased gas formation.

Soaking allows you to soften the texture of the dish and boil the grains quite quickly. But you shouldn’t think that lentils contain some harmful substances that need to be “washed out with water,” as some housewives write. The product is a completely natural cereal; normally it does not contain toxins, as, for example, in wild mushrooms, therefore it is not worth soaking it “to remove poison”.

Legumes are cooked as follows;

in a regular saucepan - for 40-50 minutes, lowering it into boiling water if you need a side dish with grains, and into cold water if the puree is soft;
in a multicooker - in stewing mode for 1 to 1.2 hours, it depends on the multicooker mode. Usually the miracle stove finishes in an hour;
in a microwave oven - placed in cold water in a plastic container with a regular lid with a valve for cooking in a microwave oven, the process takes about 40 minutes at a power of 600 W;
in a double boiler - from an hour or more, in a rice cooker with holes.

You can, of course, cook the cereal in baking pots in an oven or electric oven, but this can take up to 2 hours, as they say, a method for fans of long cooking.

There are also completely exotic methods. Take a thermos with a strong glass flask, pour in a glass of legumes, pour 2 cups of boiling water and leave for 8-12 hours. When the time is up, transfer the product to a microwave-safe pan and heat at 600 W for 8-12 minutes with a little water.

Selection and proper storage

How to choose and store groceries correctly? High-quality cereals can be purchased both in the supermarket and at the market. You should choose one that has a homogeneous composition, is devoid of inclusions of other grains, black grains and does not contain pebbles, sand and other debris. The price of high-quality lentils is moderately high, it cannot be less than 50-60 rubles and is usually equal to the cost of inexpensive brands of brown rice.

The following instructions will help you cook lentils correctly:

We take water in a ratio of 2 to 1 for the side dish and 3-4 to 1 for the soup;
boil it in a saucepan with high sides or walls;
pour lentils into boiling water, after washing them and removing stones and debris;
stir, salt, cook until tender;
the process takes from 20 to 50 minutes depending on the power of the heater;
During the cooking process, skim off the foam a couple of times.

Cooking correctly

The main rule for cooking lentils is one thing - you don’t need to mash them if you’re preparing a side dish or a classic soup. Whether to soak or not, everyone decides for themselves, depending on the state of their gastrointestinal tract.

Garnish

For a side dish, choose lentils with small, even grains. Cooking is simple - the cereal is poured into boiling water, cooked for 10-12 minutes with the lid moved so that steam comes out, then the same amount with the lid open, then you need to evaluate the readiness to taste, if necessary, add water and cook until fully cooked.

Soups

Cooking lentils for soup differs only in that they are taken in smaller quantities. Puree soups are prepared from about a glass of green lentils and require the product to be completely boiled to a paste.

Cooking in a slow cooker

This method of cooking lentils is good for those who do not like to bother with clearing the grains from foam and other similar manipulations. It is enough to pour the beans in a bowl with plain water and cook for 1-1.2 hours in the “Stew” or “Soup” mode; the specific mode depends on the multicooker model.

Cooking recipes

Bean cutlets with mushrooms

legumes - 1 cup;
letter - 1 piece;
chopped champignons - 200 g;
oil for frying;
wheat flour - 1-2 tablespoons;
chicken egg - 1 piece.

Boil the legumes into puree. Place the amount indicated in the recipe in 2-3 glasses of cold water, cook over medium heat until the lentils soften. Beat in the egg with flour, mince the mushrooms and onions, combine everything with the lentils, and beat with a blender if necessary. Form cutlets with wet hands and fry on both sides in oil until cooked.

Lentil soup with chicken

carrots - 1 pc.;
onion - 1 pc.;
lentils - 100 g;
chicken breast with skin and bones - 1 pc.;
potatoes (optional) - 1 pc.

Place the chicken breast in cold water and cook until tender. Remove the meat, discard the bones and skin, cut the flesh into cubes and reserve. Boil the broth, add lentils, boil until soft, add vegetables, cook for another 10-12 minutes, leave covered.

Vegan Bolognese

pasta - 400 g;
lentils - 200 g;
tomato - 2 pcs.;
basil - 1 bunch;
onion - 1 pc.;
olive oil - 25 g.

Boil the pasta in water al dente. For 400 g of pasta, take about 3 liters of water, cook, discard in a colander, rinse with water, add a drop of oil to prevent sticking. Boil the lentils separately until pureed according to the rules indicated above. Heat oil in a frying pan, add chopped vegetables, sauté until soft, add lentils, stir and cook until the puree is smooth. Then combine the dressing with the pasta. If desired, you can add garlic and other spices.

Stew with chicken and vegetables

green lentils - 1 cup;
chicken breast without bones and skin - 200 g;
carrots - 1 piece;
onion - 1 piece;
olive oil - 25 g;
pilaf seasoning mixture - 5 g

Set the multicooker to frying mode, pour oil into the bowl, fry chopped onions and carrots with seasonings. Add chicken, lentils, add 2.5 liters of water or broth (optional) and turn the multicooker to stewing or soup mode. The cooking process will take about an hour.
Video recipe for this vegetarian chicken stew:

Dietary dishes made from green lentils can complement any table. Whether or not to soak the cereal and what to do with it after cooking is up to each person to decide for themselves. Do not be afraid of the fact that the gastrointestinal tract will take some time to adapt to legumes. You should prepare your first dishes from soaked lentils. Over time, digestion will adapt, and then you can move on to simpler cooking methods. Health organizations recommend including lentils in your diet no more than 2-3 times a week.

In contact with

In our country, these bright, appetizing grains began to gain popularity only in the last 10 years, when more and more people began to strive for a healthy and nutritious diet and expand their diet. There are several types on the market, differing in the method and time of cooking. After reading the article, you will find out how many varieties of lentils there are, how to cook green, red and black lentils, and also how long it takes to germinate the grains.

How are the different types different?

Lentils are a legume plant. Like the fruits of other representatives of this family, lentils also contain a lot of protein, beneficial microelements and amino acids. Do you know how many varieties of this nutritious and healthy product there are? They differ in color, processing and cooking time:

red,
orange,
brown,
yellow,
green,
black.

Green lentils are unripe grains that can be sprouted and eaten raw. They are considered the most useful, but also take longer to prepare than others. During the cooking process they do not become overcooked, maintaining their shape and color. Used for preparing salads and side dishes. This is a nutritious product; it can be not only a side dish, but also an independent dish for lunch or dinner.

Red, yellow and orange grains differ in the degree of purification from the shell. They boil quickly and well. They make delicious puree soups and casseroles. Brown lentils are fully ripened grains. They are not suitable for a raw food diet, just like other grains without a shell. They are often used to prepare porridges as a side dish for seaweed dishes.

Black grains are considered a gourmet product due to their resemblance to black caviar. They are smaller than others. Used in salads, side dishes, snacks. They cook quickly. 20 minutes is enough.

Cooking secrets

Green lentils do not need to be cooked. To make it suitable for eating raw, it must be properly prepared. To do this, rinse several times in cold water, soak and leave overnight. It is not easy to predict how long it will take for the first shoots to appear. It depends on the quality of the beans. It usually takes at least 20 hours for them to begin to germinate. Sprouted “live” grains are the most beneficial for the body.

If you decide to cook green lentils, then you should know how to do it correctly:

Unlike other legumes, lentil grains do not need to be soaked in advance. However, it will be absorbed properly and will not cause bloating if it is pre-soaked in cold water for 3-8 hours.
Dip it into cold water after the water boils, cook over low heat for at least 40 minutes.
The proportions for cooking are 1:2, i.e. per 1 tbsp. lentils, 2 tbsp. water. If you did not soak it beforehand, increase the amount of water at the rate of 1:4. Determine how long dry grains will cook based on taste. Check for doneness after 40 minutes. If they are still quite hard, cook for another 30 minutes.
It is recommended to add salt at the end of cooking. Be guided by the readiness of the grains.
To soften hard grains, you can add 1 tbsp to the water. l. olive oil.
If you cook lentils in a slow cooker, select the “Rice”, “Buckwheat”, “Pilaf” or “Porridge” mode.

Recipes

Below are simple ways to cook green lentils in a slow cooker and a recipe for a salad with “live” sprouted grains.

Salad with sprouted grains.

You will need:

lentils – 25 g,
tomato – 2 pcs.,
lettuce leaves – 2–3 pcs.,
greens (dill, parsley, basil, arugula, etc., how much to put, determine according to taste, the more, the healthier and tastier),
lemon juice,
salt.

Preparation:

Wash the lentils, cover with cold water and put in a warm place for a day. After sprouts 1–3 mm long appear, rinse with running water. If you don’t want to wait a day, you can use unsprouted grains. To do this, soak them overnight.

Wash the tomatoes, cut into four parts, tear or chop the greens. Add lentils to the tomatoes, add salt and sprinkle with lemon juice. Salad ready. You can add any vegetable oil (olive, grape, sunflower, flaxseed, etc.) or use vinegar dressing.

Lentil pilaf with eggplant and cumin in a slow cooker.

This is a vegetarian version of a complex side dish. Cumin seeds will add a spicy pilaf flavor to this dish.

You will need:

green lentils – 240 g (2 measuring cups),
onion – 1 pc.,
carrots – 1 pc.,
eggplants – 2 pcs.,
tomatoes – 2 pcs.,
cumin seeds – 1 tsp,
garlic – 4 cloves,
salt pepper.

Wash the lentils and soak in cold water overnight. Chop the onion and place it in the multicooker bowl. Place finely diced carrots on top and add lentils.

Cut eggplants and tomatoes into cubes. Grind the garlic in a garlic press or grate it. Add to slow cooker.

Pour water at a ratio of 1:2 (the longer you soak the lentils, the less water and time it takes to cook).

Salt, add black pepper, cumin seeds. Mix.

Turn on the “Pilaf” mode. After 30–40 minutes, the delicious side dish is ready. Bon appetit!

Lentils stewed with vegetables.

A healthy vegetable side dish. Nutritious and quite high in calories.

You will need:

green lentils – 1 tbsp.,
onion – 1 pc.,
carrots – 1 pc.,
sweet bell pepper – 1 pc.,
garlic - 1 clove,
vegetable oil – 2 tbsp. l.,
salt.

Preparation:

Wash the lentils, changing the water several times. Fill with cold water.

Pour oil (any you like) into the multicooker bowl. Cut the garlic into 4 parts and add to the oil. Turn on the “Frying” mode. The oil will acquire a pleasant garlic aroma. After 10–15 minutes, the garlic can be removed.

Chop the onion, grate the carrots on a coarse grater or cut into pieces. Cut the sweet pepper into strips. Place the vegetables in the slow cooker and fry a little. You can use water or broth instead of oil, and instead of frying, simmer vegetables for 10–15 minutes.

Add lentils and 4 tbsp. water. Use a measuring cup from a slow cooker.

Turn on the “Pilaf” mode. A delicious side dish is ready. Bon appetit!

As part of the spread of various food products in culinary and dietetics that have lost their popularity, green lentil beans have also been included in the list of many useful ones. Surely, you would like to know in detail how to cook green lentils? This is what we will talk about today.

Previously, it was treated differently, but now a number of its beneficial qualities have already been identified, which have a positive effect on the body of both an adult and an unborn person. Therefore, you need to introduce lentils into your diet, it is both useful and necessary.

What are green lentils?

For a long time, this food product was unavailable in Slavic countries. Today, many, not knowing the capabilities of the especially large lentil variety - green, avoid lentils, being afraid to cook something from them. This primary attitude can, on the one hand, be called correct. After all, it was customary to give lentils to gladiators and only the poor population included them in their diet.

But they learned to grow green beans only in European France (that’s why they get their name – French). The first lentil grains arrived here from the Mediterranean. Growing lentils is quite painstaking work. Despite the fact that August is considered the main harvest period, when determining the correct harvest time, the following are taken into account:

degree of hardness;
grain size (it reaches 5–7 mm in diameter).

In appearance, green lentils, like its other varieties, resemble flattened flat beans, very similar to optical lenses.

Kinds

Today there are more than 120 types of legumes called lentils. True, all this diversity is limited to a few categories known in cooking.

These include lentils:

black (it is additionally called “beluga”; it is considered the most valuable and expensive; the fact is that the pigment that gives the black color has a high antioxidant level, which makes it possible to slow down the aging process and prevent the occurrence of oncology and cardiovascular diseases);
red (most often it is known as “Egyptian”; characterized by a high content of iron and potassium; indicated for use for anemia, anemia, decreased memory and concentration);
green (called “French” and refers to the healing lentil species; all the healing power lies in the presence of plant fiber, which helps with digestive disorders and intestinal disorders; in addition, it actively fights depressive conditions, promoting the synthesis of serotonin);
yellow (these are polished green lentils that do not have a shell);
brown (most in demand in cooking, and its uniqueness lies in the presence of all the beneficial qualities that other lentil varieties have).

Compound

Both true green and peeled yellow lentils are defined by the following composition:

cellulose;
fats;
protein fractions (vegetable);
carbohydrates;
phytoestrogens;
unsaturated fatty acids;
the important amino acid tryptophan;
B vitamins (riboflavin, thiamine, pyridoxine, niacin, folic acid);
retinol, or vitamin A (small amount);
macro- and microelements such as iron, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, manganese, boron, fluorine and nickel.

Green lentils - the calorie content of the dry product is at least 300 kilocalories, but when boiled it has only 100–120 kilocalories. The level of the glycemic index, which is only 29 units, is also important here. The percentage of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is 16/17/67%.

Green lentils: benefits and harms of the product

Green lentils (of course, within acceptable limits) can be boiled and eaten regularly, this will help:

feel full for a long time;
lose extra pounds (the product is completely absorbed and is not deposited in problem areas);
include in various diets for weight loss;
strengthen intestinal peristalsis;
remove toxins and radionuclides;
strengthen the muscular system;
normalize blood glucose levels;
reduce low-density lipoprotein levels;
improve mood;
prevent nervous disorders;
alleviate the manifestations of urolithiasis;
cure colitis and stomach ulcers;
improve liver function;
cope with pyelonephritis;
provide assistance in the treatment of tuberculosis and lungs;
have a beneficial effect on the healing of muscle and bone injuries;
cope with atherosclerosis and lower blood pressure;
increase immunity;
promote proper intrauterine development of the fetus in pregnant women;
It is easier for women to endure menopause (thanks to phytoestrogens).

Contraindications and possible harm

Lentils, like any legume products, should not be overeaten; beans can cause discomfort. In particular, it negatively affects people suffering from bloating and increased gas formation in the intestines. Therefore, experts recommend exclusively a vegetable combination for them, without the use of main heavy protein dishes (for example, meat).

Rules for selection and storage

To get a truly tasty dish, it is very important to choose the right quality lentils.

Therefore, when choosing lentils, you should pay attention to the following:

container (it must be transparent and hermetically sealed);
size (it should not be “varied”, in a hole or chipped, and high-quality grains always have the same color);
country of the packer and manufacturer (the country and region of packaging must be comparable; the best choice would be Canada, India, Turkey, Australia, USA).

When storing, you should adhere to the following rules:

you need a dry, ventilated room (so that rotting processes do not begin);
from plastic packaging should be poured into a canvas bag or paper bag;
shelf life - no more than one year.

How to cook delicious green lentils

Green lentils are classified as unripe lentils. That is why you need to know how long it takes to cook green lentils. You need to cook it a little longer – 25–30 minutes.

Before cooking green lentils, you need to:

Rinse the grains (calculation: one part lentils to two parts water) under cold running water;
cook only in filtered boiling water.

Cook the lentils on the lowest possible heat until tender. If you want to add salt to the product, you should calculate the cooking time by adding a pinch of salt a couple of minutes before cooking.

Culinary experts note that dishes made from boiled green lentils are ideal for salads (because they practically do not boil, maintaining the necessary shape), and go well with garlic, onions, spices and any herbs. Additionally, green lentils can be ground using a coffee grinder into flour, from which bread and flatbreads are made.

Green lentils: cooking recipes

Green lentils are a household name and are known as a hearty legume with a spicy flavor. Of course, lentils are cooked almost all over the world - from Asia to Europe. But for some reason the French species is most valuable in China and Asia. It is worth giving examples of cooking at least a few popular dishes.

Green Lentil Soup: Recipe

This dish does not require much effort or expensive ingredients to prepare.

You will need for cooking:

150 g green lentils;
200 g beef;
two potatoes;
one carrot;
one medium-sized onion;
a tablespoon of tomato paste;
two tablespoons of any vegetable oil (olive is best);
salt, dry paprika and pepper are added to taste;
clean water (it can be replaced with chicken broth).

First, the beef is finely chopped and fried in a frying pan in vegetable oil with the addition of black pepper, salt, and dry paprika.
Then add chopped (preferably not large) onions and carrots to the pan. Also add a small amount of water and oil so that the meat and vegetables are thoroughly stewed over low heat for about 15 minutes.
Separately, cook lentils and potatoes in boiling water in a saucepan (cook for no more than 10 minutes).
After the cooking time has passed, stewed meat with vegetables and tomato paste are added to it (although you can do without it).
In addition, you need to add a little water to really get a soup, which should be cooked for 10-15 minutes.
In general terms, you won’t have to cook a hearty lunch or dinner for more than one hour.

How to cook green lentils as a side dish

In fact, for this recipe you will have to cook the lentil beans. If desired, you can turn the boiled grains into puree by blending them in a blender. In principle, you can add a variety of spices to the lentils, and sprinkle the dish with herbs (chopped dill, parsley or green onions) on top.