Red Lentils

Active Poster Joined: Feb 09 2009 Posts: 47 Location: USA

Does anyone have any good recipes for red lentils? Besides soup, I mean. Thanks in advance Smile

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Gold Member Joined: Aug 20 2007 Posts: 1308

I tried this lentil dal recipe recently and really liked it. You can use any type of lentil.

Posted: Wed, Feb 25 2009, 2:15 am Post subject:

I'm subbing in. I have a whole bag of red lentils. I've only ever used the green ones. Are they interchangable?
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Posted: Wed, Feb 25 2009, 7:07 am Post subject: re: Red Lentils

RachelEve, in my experience, red lentils cook down more like split peas and do not have the same texture as green lentils. The texture is a little smoother. Very yummy though. My dh eats them cooked with a little salt and pepper like once a week.
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Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20496

I am not a red lentil expert. In my experience they cook much faster and get mushier much quicker than green lentils.
Look at allrecipes.com and recipezaar.com for specific recipes.
The most you will probably get out of them is a dal-like mush.
I have found that they are wonderful for thickening a sauce (stew, meatballs) and impart a delicious "Mizrahi" flavor. Yum.

Active Poster Joined: Feb 09 2009 Posts: 47 Location: USA

Thanks, ladies Smile

Bluebird, the recipe you linked looks yummy.

Executive Member Joined: Jan 20 2008 Posts: 264

They do get mushier than brown lentils. I cook them with various spices (my fav is cumin) then mix with rice and cheese. It's a yummy side dish.

Posted: Tue, Mar 03 2009, 6:27 am Post subject: re: Red Lentils

hope op doesn't mind- I think she got answers already. I really haven't used lentils at all for a very long time, can someone tell me even a soup recipe? what kind of lentils are better to use for what?
RedTwizzler- Do you cook it separately with cumin and what other spices? salt...? then you add it to the rice already cooked or can you cook it all together? For some off reason I never make rice dairy, dunno why...
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Executive Member Joined: Jan 20 2008 Posts: 264

Simcha100- I cook the lentils separately, add spices then mix with rice and cheese and add more spices if necessary. I don't have exact measurements so It depends on how much rice you add which will determine how much spices. I use cumin, s&p, garlic powder, ginger (a little, it's strong) and parsley flakes (not sure if it flavors but it looks nice!). You can also add sautéed onions.

Posted: Wed, Mar 04 2009, 2:39 am Post subject:

I made a yummy soup yesterday. First I "sauted" the onion in a little oil at the bottom of the crock pot. After an hour or 2 I added the lentils and water and let it cook for a few hours. I blended. It was really yummy. I did add a tiny bit of soup mix, but I didn't have veggie stock in the house. I probably could have gotten away without it, but dh likes the soup mix.

Silver Member Joined: Mar 25 2008 Posts: 650

I love red lentil soup ! So easy and yummy !
I sauté the onions, then add a zuchini cut in cube, then some miso paste, then the lentils and veggie broth.

Another way I do it is : onions, zuchini, red lentils, coconut milk and curry, and I serve it with pittot filled with parve spread like a cheese nan.

Active Poster Joined: Feb 09 2009 Posts: 47 Location: USA

This is my recipe for red lentil soup:

1 med or large onion, chopped (depending on your fondness for onion)
1 stalk celery chopped, (optional)
1 red pepper, chopped
2 red potatoes, peeled and chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
pinch of cinnamon
salt & red pepper to taste
6 cups chicken or veggie stock or water
Juice of one lemon

You can also add some peeled and chopped tomatoes or tomato sauce.

Sprinkle onion, carrot, celery with salt and saute until translucent (do not brown), add garlic and saute maybe 30 second more. Add stock or water, potatoes and spices. Simmer about 30 minutes. Add red lentils simmer 20 or so minutes more. Puree, garnish with freshly ground black pepper and a little bit of lemon juice.

Posted: Wed, Mar 04 2009, 10:21 pm Post subject: Re: re: Red Lentils

Posted: Thu, Mar 05 2009, 8:33 am Post subject: re: Red Lentils

I make something called kichree, an iraqi lentil and rice dish. I found this recipe on the internet. I do similar, though without the red pepper and sometimes without the yoghurt.

4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cumin seed
1 cup rice
1 cup red lentils
1 tsp salt
Crushed red pepper (or black)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1-2 Tbsp butter
Yogurt

In a frying pan, saute garlic in oil just till you can smell the garlic (don't let it brown), then add cumin, tomato paste, rice, and lentils. Stir over low heat till coated with oil. Cover with 4 cups boiling water, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes, adding water if necessary. Stir in butter, let melt, and serve with plain yogurt. Serves four. This comes from The Book of Jewish Food by Claudia Roden.

Posted: Fri, Mar 06 2009, 4:20 am Post subject:

Posted: Fri, Mar 06 2009, 4:23 am Post subject: re: Red Lentils

thanks everyone!
wow- each recipe is different, trying to figure out which one I should try first- something my family would like...
ra-mom- if you don't mind, I would love your recipe! thanks!!

Posted: Fri, Mar 06 2009, 5:28 am Post subject: re: Red Lentils

thanks to flylady...5 different ways to do rice and beans.

(these don't specify lentils, but she said any beans)

n my last Food for Thought, I told y'all to eat beans and rice at least one meal a week to stretch your grocery dollars. Today, I want to show you how to spice up and season that lowly beans and rice dish so you can enjoy several different ethnic (styled) dishes. These are representations of this type of cooking, not the actual authentic versions.

First off, cook up a batch o' beans. Use something like white beans, pintos, red beans or even black beans. Doesn't matter; we're going to use them up a bunch of ways. Secondly, make your rice. Needs to be whole brown rice. I prefer long grain brown rice, some people like a short grain rice. Just make sure it's brown rice so you get the nutrition! How do you cook beans and rice? Look on the back of the packages to each of them…you'll get all the info you need. The important part is getting them cooked.

Okay, you've got a big batch o' beans and a big batch o' rice cooked, right? Now let's look at all the possibilities:

Mexican-Style Beans and Rice
Jamaican-Style Beans and Rice
New Orleans-Style Beans and Rice
Southern-Style Greens, Beans and Rice
Indian-Style Beans and Rice

For ease of accomplishment, these "recipes" are servings for ONE. Multiply as needed. One serving equals 1 cup rice, 1 cup beans. You can bag these beans up in freezer quality bags and freeze in serving sizes (either individually or enough to serve your family) if you want. You can do the same thing with the rice. Once you have all those beans and rice packages, here's what you can do when you thaw them out. Remember, these are servings for ONE…multiply them out as needed to serve your family:

For the Mexican-Style Beans and Rice: Serve the rice and beans plain with salsa, sour cream, grated cheese over the top and a quesadilla on the side.

For the Jamaican-Style Beans and Rice: In a saucepan over a medium heat, add beans, add 2 tablespoons of coconut milk, a pinch of thyme, a clove of crushed garlic and heat through till warm and bubbly. Serve over rice with chopped green onions on top.

New Orleans-Style Beans and Rice: In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and saute 1/4 cup each: onion, green bell pepper and celery. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, 1/8 teaspoon thyme. Mix this into the beans and serve with a bottle of Tabasco or other hot sauce.

Southern-Style Beans and Rice: In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion, then add 1 cup chopped frozen greens. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, a pinch of thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth. Add 1/2 cup beans and simmer till greens are tender. Serve over rice.

Indian-Style Beans and Rice: In a skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/4 cup chopped tomato and cook till tender. Add 1 clove crushed garlic, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon curry powder. Add the beans and simmer for five minutes. Serve over rice with chopped cilantro on top.

There you go…how's that for Easy Button easy! Enjoy!
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Diamond Member Joined: Nov 22 2006 Posts: 3428