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People interested in healthy eating almost certainly know how beneficial it is. Consisting of one third of protein, which is easily digestible, it has a relatively low calorie content, but is quite filling. In addition, with it a person receives many useful macroelements and microelements, including iron.

Despite its usefulness, lentils are an infrequent guest on the tables of many Russians. The thing is that not every Russian family can boast of knowing recipes for delicious lentil dishes. Not everyone knows what can be cooked from lentils, and some have no idea how long they need to be cooked until they are ready.

How to cook lentils

The cooking time for lentils depends on their variety, but in any case it is less than it takes to cook peas or beans. In addition, it does not need to be pre-soaked.

It will take 35-40 minutes to cook green or brown lentils, 20-25 minutes for yellow lentils, and 15 minutes for red lentils. Accordingly, different amounts of water are needed to prepare a side dish from them. In the first case, you need twice as much water as lentils, in the third - one and a half times, in the second case, it is better to take about 1.8 times more water than lentils.

Green and brown lentils are good for making porridges and salads. For soups and purees, they usually use red or orange.

Before cooking, lentils must be thoroughly washed and sorted - there are often small stones in them; if they get into food, they will negate all culinary efforts.

Otherwise, the cooking methods depend on the chosen recipe.

Lentil porridge

Ingredients required:

• lentils (preferably brown) - a glass,
• water – 2 glasses,
• salt - to taste,
• carrots – about 200 g,
• onion – about 100 g,
• olive oil - half a glass,
• spices - to taste (ideally Indian).

Cooking process:

1. Prepare the lentils, add water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, add spices and cook for half an hour. Don't add salt yet.
2. Meanwhile, peel the vegetables, chop the onion as finely as possible, and grate the carrots on a coarse grater.
3. Fry the vegetables in .
4. Add the vegetables to the lentils, add salt and cook until tender, that is, until they completely absorb the water.

Pumpkin soup with lentils and feta

Ingredients required:

• pumpkin - half a kilo,
• lentils (orange) – half a cup,
• water - one and a half glasses,
• carrots – 150 – 200 g,
• onion - about 75 - 100 g,
• garlic – 2 – 3 cloves,
• thyme - sprig,
• broth (any) – 100 – 200 ml,
• olive oil – 50 ml,
• salt, pepper - to taste,
• feta – 200 g.

Cooking process:

1. Wash, peel the vegetables, cut into cubes of about a centimeter.
2. Place the vegetables in a heat-resistant form or casserole, season with pepper, salt, oil, and put thyme on top (no need to cut it). Let's put it in the oven. We will simmer until the vegetables are soft (20 minutes) at a temperature of 180 - 200 degrees.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, wash and sort the lentils, fill them with water, and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes.
4. Grind the finished vegetables in a blender until puree, first removing the thyme sprig. Dilute with broth to a more liquid state.
5. Pour into bowls, put a couple of spoons of lentils and a few pieces of feta into each bowl.

Lentil cutlets

Ingredients required:

• lentils (preferably red) - a glass,
• carrots – 2 pcs.,
• onions – 2 pcs.,
• water – 1.5 – 2 glasses,
• semolina - half a glass,
• pepper - to taste,
• soy sauce – 2 tbsp. spoons,
• breadcrumbs and olive oil for frying.

Cooking method:

1. Wash, peel and finely chop the vegetables.
2. Fry a little, pour pre-washed lentils into the pan.
3. Add water (1.5 cups for now, if not enough, add the rest later) and sauce, pepper, cover with a lid. The lentils simmer until they absorb water and become soft, this will take about a quarter of an hour.
4. Grind with a blender, add semolina, mix well.
5. Form into cutlets, roll in breadcrumbs and fry on both sides until crispy.

Lentil salad

Ingredients required:

• lentils (green) – glass,
• ham – 100 g,
• sun-dried tomatoes – 8 pieces,
• water – 2 glasses,
• shallot – 1 stalk,
• spinach (chopped) – 1 cup.
• salt, pepper - a pinch,
• wine vinegar – 50 ml,
• vegetable oil – 50 ml.

Cooking process:

1. Rinse, fill with water, open the lentils. 5 – 10 minutes before it’s ready, add salt and pepper. The lentils should be smooth, do not boil them until soft.
2. Chop the onion and marinate it in vinegar.
3. Cut each tomato into 4 pieces.
4. Cut the ham into cubes.
5. Add chopped spinach to the finished lentils, stir, season with oil.
6. Add tomatoes and ham and stir gently.
7. Place pickled onions on top. It is advisable that the lentils are still warm at this time. Serve

We present various lentil dishes with simple and tasty recipes that won’t be difficult to prepare. This is an affordable product that allows you to diversify your diet. Unlike buckwheat, peas or the usual rice, the word “lentils” still remains unusual for many. Despite the fact that this flat seed of an annual plant belonging to the legume family can be seen on the shelves of many stores, not everyone knows how to prepare it correctly.

Beneficial properties of lentils

So, how to cook lentils so that their consumption brings as many benefits as possible? Before you begin the process of cooking this plant, it is worth considering its beneficial properties. The most important fact is that lentils are environmentally friendly. No matter what environment this plant grows in, it does not accumulate toxic elements. Even under unfavorable conditions, lentils are not saturated with nitrates or radionuclides. This quality makes it completely harmless to health and especially useful for nutritional purposes.

In addition, this product should be added to your diet for the following health problems:

• diseases;
• disruptions in the digestive tract;
• urolithiasis disease;
• high blood sugar.

Lentil cutlets

If you want to pamper yourself with lentil dishes, culinary experts offer simple and tasty recipes in a wide variety. Many vegetarians have already appreciated such a simple but very tasty dish as lentil-based cutlets. To prepare them, just have a small amount of ingredients on hand:

• lentils – 200 g
• - 1 PC.
• potatoes – 1 pc.
• flour – 2 tbsp. l.
• vegetable oil – about 50 g.

These are the main components of the dish. You need to add spices and herbs to taste:

• garlic – 2 cloves
• turmeric – 1 tsp.
• parsley – ½ bunch
• – ½ bunch
• pepper and salt to taste.

Step 1

The lentils should be thoroughly washed and then poured with boiling water. It should be cooked for at least half an hour until fully cooked.

Step 2

Carrots and potatoes must be boiled (this can be done in any convenient way, including in the microwave). When they are completely ready, they should be cleaned.

Step 3

Next, you will need a blender to grind the selected herbs, as well as garlic.

Step 4

Add boiled potatoes and carrots to the blender with garlic and herbs. Next, all ingredients should be thoroughly chopped.

Step 5

Then the main component of the dish is added - lentils. All ingredients are ground again. Next, flour and spices, salt and pepper to taste are added to the finished lentil puree and other ingredients.

Step 6

The resulting lentil porridge is ready for forming cutlets. They should be fried on both sides in vegetable oil.

This hearty lentil dish is a simple and delicious recipe. These cutlets go well with any vegetables.

How to cook green lentils?

Green lentils are the most flavorful variety. Cooks most often use this type of plant, because even after cooking it perfectly retains its shape and does not become overcooked. Green lentils will take a little longer to cook than other lentils, but you'll end up with a bold-flavored base for many different dishes. The cooking process is quite simple.

First you need to sort through all the beans and remove those that seem spoiled. Next, they should be washed thoroughly, and then placed in a deep pan and filled with water. It should be noted that two glasses of water will be enough for one glass of beans. Green lentils must be cooked over low heat until fully cooked. Immediately after the water boils, add 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil. The beans need to be stirred from time to time. Before removing the pan from the heat, add salt to taste to the water.

If you are wondering how to cook brown lentils, the process will be similar. The only difference is that this variety cooks much faster, so the cooking process will take less time.

If you add salt to the water at the end of cooking any type of lentil, you can significantly shorten the cooking process. If you do this at the beginning, the cooking time will increase significantly.

Lentil roast video recipe

Lentil salad

This ancient culture is suitable for preparing a range of healthy dishes. If you don’t have a lot of time for culinary delights, then you should pay attention to the salad recipe, which is based on lentils. There are many variations of this dish. The classic version includes the following ingredients:

• lentils – 100 g
• tomatoes – 1 pc.
• bell pepper – 1 pc.
• cucumbers – 1 pc.
• red onion – 1 pc.
• greens - to taste.

You will also need a small amount of ingredients to prepare the dressing:

• olive oil – 1 tbsp. l.
• salt - to taste
• lemon juice - to taste
• pepper - to taste.

Step 1

Boil the lentils in the usual way (cooking time depends on the variety). Next, drain the water and rinse the beans with cold water.

Step 2

Cut the bell pepper and onion into cubes.

Step 3

Cut the cucumber and tomatoes into small cubes.

Step 4

Mix all ingredients prepared for dressing. Mix all the prepared ingredients and pour over the sauce. Mix everything thoroughly.

Step 5

Sprinkle the finished salad with lemon juice and garnish with herbs.

Lentils: side dish recipes

Among lovers of proper nutrition, lentils are often used as a side dish. To diversify its taste, you should not limit yourself to just cooking beans. You can add a range of ingredients to them to help unleash their full flavor potential. So, boiled lentils go well with onions fried in vegetable oil and stewed carrots, tomatoes and. After you mix all the ingredients, you should add coriander and herbs to them. As for salt and pepper, they are added to taste. The ready-made side dish will be an excellent addition to fish, chicken or beef dishes.

Lentils in a slow cooker

A slow cooker is another easy way to cook aromatic and tasty lentils. It makes the cooking process easier and eliminates the possibility that the beans will burn. The protein contained in lentils does not coagulate. Pre-soaking the grains is not required. Just sort them out and rinse them with cold water. The optimal ratio of the proportions of water and the crop itself is 2:1. This will preserve the shape of the grains, make them soft and pleasant to the taste.

In the multicooker, select the “Stew” mode. For this, it is recommended to use boiling water, as this will make the cooking process uniform. It is advisable to add salt five minutes before the grains are ready.

Unlike rice or potatoes, lentils are very rarely served as a separate dish. Most often it is combined with various vegetables, adding herbs and spices. This enhances the characteristic flavor of lentils.

Lentils cooked in a slow cooker retain their properties better. This dish is suitable for those who are watching their weight. Lentil grains allow you to satisfy hunger for a long time, while being low in calories. This legume contains useful acids, which have a beneficial effect on health.

Lentil dishes - video

Lentils: cooking secrets + 3 amazing recipes

A good lentil dish will always have a place on the table, both summer and winter. This surprisingly satisfying type of legume is almost on par with meat in protein content, and tastes superior to many side dishes.
However, like other legumes, grains and seeds, lentils are a difficult food to digest, which, if prepared incorrectly, can hinder the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cause bloating. Are there ways to avoid such unpleasant consequences?

We answer: there are, and many people intuitively use them all the time. Today - about the secrets of cooking easy-to-digest lentils, as well as 3 delicious lentil recipes for practicing the skill.

How to properly prepare lentils

Uncooked, lentils are literally a challenge to digestion. The fact is that absolutely all legumes contain special substances - inhibitors, which prevent grains from germinating without sufficient moisture and literally block our enzymes, thus slowing down digestion. This is exactly what happens every time we boil dry lentils. Of course, with good digestion, this process can pass without leaving a trace. However, if you have sensitive gastrointestinal organs or lentils end up on your table with enviable regularity, then you should think about “workarounds” for cooking.

This is exactly the method - pre-soaking lentils for several hours in water, which essentially simulates the entry of grain into moist soil and neutralizes inhibitors, also converting all nutrients into a more bioavailable form. Rinse the grains, cover them with water and leave them in a saucepan with a lid.

According to various sources, it is better to soak lentils for 3–7 hours or even overnight - this is exactly how much is required to neutralize the inhibitors. Experts also advise soaking the lentils in a warm place - this will make the process go even faster. After soaking, drain the water, rinse the lentils and proceed to the selected cooking method.

How to cook lentils: useful tips

1. Pay attention to the spices
Along with lentils, choose spices that have a positive effect on the absorption of legumes: asafoetida, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, fresh and dried ginger.

2. Choose the type of lentils
Different varieties of lentils are better suited for different dishes according to their characteristics. For example, green French, “marbled” lentils practically do not boil, so cooks often use them to add to salads. Orange lentils are an ideal base for a rich soup, but brown lentils are good as a side dish and as the main ingredient of a second dish with meat.

3. Time yourself
The cooking time also varies among lentil varieties. Cook the red one for 25-30 minutes, the brown one will be ready in 20-25 minutes, but the elastic green one will take all of 40 minutes. It is important to note that it is not recommended to cook lentils in salted water, as this only increases the cooking time - just add salt at the end.

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup

Light, nutritious and quick to prepare, the soup is an excellent dietary lunch option for all occasions.

Ingredients:

● Cumin 2 tsp.
● Red pepper flakes pinch
● Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
● Grated carrots 600 g
● Red lentils 140 g
● Vegetable broth 1 l
● Milk 125 ml

Cooking method:

1. Soak the lentils overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. Heat cumin and pepper flakes in a dry frying pan until fragrant.

3. Transfer half the portion of spices from the frying pan to a plate, and add oil to the remaining ones and add carrots, lentils, broth and milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until soft.
4. Blend soup until smooth or more textured.
5. Serve hot with Indian flatbreads, garnishing the soup with the remaining spices.

2. Salad with green lentils and red onions

A bright vitamin salad that can decorate even a holiday table. To prepare this dish, we recommend using a dense variety of green lentils, “De Puy,” which will retain its shape when cooked.

Ingredients:

● Green lentils "De Puy" 250 g
● Juice of half a lemon
● Juice of half a lime
● White wine or apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp. l.
● Red onion 1 pc.
● Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
Ground cumin 1 tsp.
● Garlic 1 clove
● Mango sauce or dressing to taste 2 tbsp. l.
● Cilantro - a handful
● Cherry tomatoes 250 g
● Spinach 85 g

Cooking method:

1. Soak lentils overnight and cook according to package instructions.
2. Mix citrus juice, vinegar or wine with a pinch of salt, then add the chopped onion and marinate for a few minutes until soft.

3. In a separate bowl, combine oil, cumin, crushed garlic and chosen dressing.
4. Add onion rings and combine with remaining ingredients.
5. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.

Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

A wonderfully warming, flavorful soup - just right for a rainy or chilly day. If you don't have sweet potatoes, you can substitute pumpkin or turnips.

For a 3 liter saucepan:

● 2.5 liters of broth with meat (I used beef)
● 1 medium sweet potato
● 1 medium onion
● 1 carrot
● 100 g lentils
● 1 tsp. tomato paste
● paprika, curry, cumin, salt, pepper
● greens

Cooking method:

1. Peel the vegetables, cut the sweet potato into cubes, finely chop the onion, grate the carrots.
2. Put vegetables and lentils into the boiling broth, add tomato paste and spices and cook until the lentils are ready.
3. If desired, you can pre-fry the onions and carrots with spices.
4. 10 minutes before readiness, add salt and paprika.
5. Serve with fresh herbs and sour cream.

Lentils are an ideal product for pregnant women and not only

Lentils have been known since ancient times as a food with great nutritional value; they contain substances high in protein, fiber, iron and folic acid (vitamin B9), making them an ideal food for pregnant women.
Thanks to folic acid and vitamin B, it can prevent the development of birth defects in the fetus, such as spina bifida and anencephaly. A high-protein product like lentils is very important for pregnant women, as protein is involved in the development of muscle mass in the fetus.

Additionally, folic acid may help combat the negative effects of certain medications. So, for example, a smoker or alcoholic can use lentils to restore their level of folic acid, which is removed from the body due to these bad habits.

Lentils are also rich in potassium, fiber, phosphorus, vitamin B5 and vitamin B6. Thanks to its high potassium concentration, it promotes good blood circulation and regulates blood pressure. Eating lentils helps relieve gastrointestinal problems due to their coarse fiber content, which lowers cholesterol levels and helps control obesity.

Being a food rich in phosphorus, lentils keep bones, teeth and skin in good condition, consuming them helps restore their natural pH balance. Lentils are recommended for improving the biological functions of the brain.
In addition, vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, makes lentils an indispensable tool in the fight against stress and headaches, and vitamin B6 in its composition is recommended for diabetes, depression and asthma.


Thus, we can say that lentils are an indispensable product in the diet of any person. In addition to everything mentioned above, lentils are a vegetable rich in iron content, which helps fight anemia. In order to maximize the content of this mineral, you can add citrus fruits to your diet - lemons, oranges and tangerines.

You can add lentils as a side dish to other dishes, or use them in salads, in combination with lemon juice. However, you should not cook lentils for a long time, as they will lose their appearance, taste and many of their beneficial properties. The greatest amount of vitamins and minerals will be preserved if lentils are sprouted; to do this, rinse them, fill them with clean water for 6-8 hours, then drain the water, rinse the lentils and leave them in a warm, dark place for another 8 hours.

Finally, I will say that lentils contain the following nutrients:
70 mg calcium, 1.50 mg iodine, 3.10 mg zinc, 40.60 g carbohydrates, 24 mg sodium, 10 mg vitamin A, 0.47 mg vitamin B1, 0.22 mg vitamin B2, 6.58 mg vitamin B3, 3.40 mg vitamin C, 1.80 mg vitamin E, 304 calories, 1.70 g fat, 1.10 g sugars and 127 mg purine.

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

Culinary possibilities of lentils

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

This legume crop became most widespread in the lands of Asia, but in the territory of the Slavs it was revered since time immemorial.

Despite the abundance of lentil varieties, only 4 varieties are widely used for culinary purposes:

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

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

Subtleties of cooking

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

In addition, it is worth considering that the green variety is practically not overcooked, and it is reasonable to use it for salads, soups and stews.

You can make excellent porridge, casserole or puree soup from red and brown lentils, taking into account the fact that they fall apart when cooked.

And it’s also great that such bean fraternity increases during the cooking process, if you consider that in 1 glass there are 210 g of dry cereal, then at the end we can get about 4 glasses (850-1000 g) of the finished product. And how many wonderful recipes include this ingredient, it’s simply amazing.

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

Lentil soups simply amaze with their range, originality and taste. And their preparation itself does not require any specific talents from the cook; everything is easy and accessible.

And to prepare lentil first courses in a slow cooker, you don’t need any special control at all: load the ingredients, set the “soup” or “cooking” program and let the miracle pan “puff” while we go about our business.

Smoked soup

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

Ingredients

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

Preparation

1. Wash the cereal thoroughly and soak it in boiling water for half an hour.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onion into cubes and grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Then set the “baking” or “frying” program on the multicooker, pour a little oil into the bowl and fry the sliced ​​vegetables a little until golden brown.
3. Next, pour water into the container, lay out the swollen lentils, chopped potatoes, chicken drumsticks and slices of smoked brisket. And after the soup stock has been salted to taste and anointed with pepper and bay leaves, set the “soup” or “stew” program for 40 minutes.
4. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add finely chopped herbs to the soup.

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

Diet puree soup

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

1. Wash red lentils (1 cup) and add water (2 l) and set to cook. After 10 minutes, we send 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 throw it away, we got the aroma and color we needed from it, and we won’t need it anymore. Add some salt to the soup itself, add spices as desired (turmeric, saffron, black or red pepper) and season with celery or dill (1 bunch).
3. Now, using a blender, we turn our lunch into a puree-like mass and put it in a soup bowl, garnishing it with rye croutons on top.

Lentil porridge

Who would have thought that in the world there are so many options for main dishes, where lentils are the main character. Cutlets and meatballs, zrazy and dumplings, side dishes and casseroles, the brightness of the taste of this legume emphasizes all these recipes with photos in the most favorable way.

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

You can prepare porridge like this:

• Boil the washed red lentil grains (2 cups) in salted water (4 cups) until tender for half an hour over low heat.
• While the cereal is cooking, prepare the sauté. Chop the onion (1 head) and carrot (1 root vegetable) into thin strips and fry until golden brown in hot oil (50 ml).
• After this, 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 the crowning delicacy of any feast.

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. breadcrumbs,
• 200 g cheese,
• salt and pepper to taste.

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

The casserole should be served hot with a sauce of sour cream 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 cup;
• Turnip onion – 5-7 heads;
• Chicken egg – 4 pcs.;
• Breading crumbs – 1 cup;
• Salt - to taste;
• Garlic cloves - 4 pcs.;
• Khmeli-suneli – 1 tsp. with a slide;
• Ground black pepper – ½ tsp;

Preparation

1. Rinse the bean grains that have been soaked for 4 hours and place them on a sieve.
2. Meanwhile, fry the finely diced onion in oil until light brown, then blend in a blender along with lentils and garlic until smooth.
3. Salt and pepper the resulting slurry, season with spices and mix with 2 raw eggs. Boil the remaining 3 eggs hard and cut them into ¼ lengthwise.
4. We make flat cakes from the minced meat, place slices of boiled eggs inside them and then form oblong cutlets. Next, roll them in breadcrumbs and simmer covered for 5 minutes, and then fry in oil in a frying pan for 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

This is only a small fraction of all the dishes that lentils can give us. Recipes with this cereal are incredibly tasty, nutritious and interesting, which makes it possible to include them in the diet of vegetarians and in the menu during Orthodox fasting days.

December 15, 2014

Lentils are a food product known since ancient times. She began her victorious march around the world from Southeast Asia. In Ancient Egypt, Babylon and Greece, this cereal was held in high esteem. Dishes from green lentils began to be prepared in Rus' in the 14th century. They instantly gained great popularity among the Slavic peoples. Nowadays, this product is undeservedly forgotten. What dishes can you make from green lentils? Recipes: simple and tasty.

Useful properties of the product

Green lentils are not fully ripened fruits of the plant, so when heat treated they retain their shape well. They are usually used for preparing appetizers and salads, and added to meat dishes. Green lentil dishes are useful to eat to relieve symptoms of diseases such as hypertension, rheumatism, cholecystitis, pyelonephritis, ulcers, hepatitis. When cooked, the fruits of this plant completely retain all their beneficial properties. One hundred grams of lentils contain:

Thus, this grain crop is an inexhaustible source of healthy protein, perfectly accepted by the human body. In addition, it contains a lot of natural sugar, starch, Omega-6 and Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids, soluble fiber, folic acid, beneficial trace elements and minerals. Below you will find a detailed story about how to prepare a variety of dishes from green lentils.

Garnish. Ingredients

This wonderful dish has an original taste and goes with everything. It should be present in every person’s daily menu, because green lentil dishes contain all the substances the body needs.

Ingredients for garnish:

• onion - 1 piece;
• butter - 50 grams;
• green lentils - 1 cup;
• bay leaf - 1 piece;
• salt - to taste.

Preparing the side dish

First of all, you need to pour cold water over the lentil fruits in a ratio of 1:5.

Now you need to peel, chop and lightly fry the onions.

After this, bring the lentils to a boil and add oil, salt and bay leaves to it.

Next, the side dish needs to be cooked over very low heat. Cooking time: 35 minutes.

The finished dish must be seasoned with butter. If you plan to serve it with sausages, then raw meat products can be thrown into the side dish three minutes before they are fully cooked.

Lentil soup. Ingredients

Green lentil dishes can be very different. Even a novice housewife can easily master the cooking recipes. The soup with the addition of lentils turns out to be appetizing and rich.

• potatoes - 2 tubers;
• beef - 250 grams;
• tomato paste - 1 tablespoon;
• lentils - 120 grams;
• carrots - 1 piece;
• onion - 1 piece;
• vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons;
• paprika, salt, black pepper - to taste;
• coriander - a third of a teaspoon.

Soup preparation method

1. First of all, the beef needs to be cut into small pieces and fried in vegetable oil. At the same time, it must be salted and seasoned with spices.
2. Now you should wash, peel and chop the carrots and onions. Vegetables should be added to the fried meat and simmered over moderate heat for fifteen minutes. If the mixture is too dry, you can add a little water to it.
3. After this, you need to wash and pour cold water over the lentils. Then it needs to be put on fire. After ten minutes, add potatoes cut into small pieces to the cereal.
4. Then the tomato paste needs to be diluted with water and poured into a frying pan with meat and onions. The frying must be kept on the fire for another five minutes.
5. Next, the meat and onions should be combined with potatoes and lentils. The products must be cooked for another ten minutes.

The soup is ready! It should be served sprinkled with finely chopped herbs.

Lentils with chicken

Ancient healers believed that dishes made from green lentils give a person energy, peace of mind and health. Therefore, people have been eating this product with pleasure since time immemorial. Consider a recipe for making lentils with chicken.

• chicken fillet - 500 grams;
• carrots - 1 piece;
• onions (preferably red) - 3 pieces;
• green lentils - 400 grams;
• garlic - 3 cloves;
• vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon;
• spices: coriander, red and black pepper, bay leaf - to taste;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking method

1. First you need to chop the vegetables: onions, carrots and garlic should be cut into small pieces.
2. Then you need to cut the chicken fillet.
3. After this, the lentils need to be poured into a saucepan, rinsed and filled with cold water.
4. Now you need to put the container with the cereal on the fire, let it boil, skim off the resulting foam, and reduce the heat. Cooking time for lentils is thirty minutes. Ten minutes before it is ready, add bay leaf and salt.
5. Next, you need to drain the remaining water from the cereal.
6. Then you need to lightly fry the garlic in sunflower oil. After this, you should add pieces of chicken meat to it. It needs to be browned on all sides until crispy.
7. After this, the chicken fillet must be combined with carrots and onions. All ingredients should be mixed thoroughly.
8. Now the resulting mass needs to be salted and seasoned with coriander and pepper. It needs to be fried for about ten more minutes until the vegetables are soft.
9. Then add the lentils to the pan. It needs to be mixed with meat and vegetables and heated over very low heat for about one minute.

Lentils and chicken are ready! It is served hot along with fresh vegetables.

Lentils with vegetables

Dishes made from green lentils with vegetables are very satisfying and nutritious. The recipe below has its own twist. This is a special combination of seasonings that gives the food a spicy kick.

• zucchini - 250 grams;
• green lentils - 2 cups;
• onions - 1 piece (50 grams);
• tomatoes - 2 pieces;
• vegetable oil - 2-3 tablespoons;
• hot water - 3 glasses.

• dry parsley - 1 tablespoon;
• corn flour - 1 heaped tablespoon;
• savory - 1 teaspoon;
• paprika - one heaped tablespoon;
• garlic - 1-2 cloves;
• red pepper (hot) - one pinch;
• salt - to taste.

Cooking lentils with vegetables

Soak the lentil grains in warm water for about half an hour.

Now you need to chop the tomatoes and lightly fry the onion in sunflower oil. After a couple of minutes, you need to add the rest of the vegetables to it. After this, all the ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and fried over medium heat for another five to seven minutes.

Add lentils to the container with vegetables. Then you need to pour in water and add the necessary seasonings. Now the food should be covered and simmered over moderate heat for fifteen minutes.

The food is ready! If desired, you can not add flour to it, then it will turn out to be less calorie.

Cooking in a slow cooker

Nowadays, not only the stove, but also other household devices are used to create culinary masterpieces. Dishes made from green lentils in a slow cooker turn out great. In order to prepare a hearty side dish, just fry onions and carrots in the device, then add a couple of glasses of washed lentils to the vegetables and pour four glasses of water over all the ingredients. Cooking time is 40 minutes in the “Porridge” mode. After this, the dish can be served.