Lentil Dishes

2024 Author: Sebastian Paterson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:47

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Lentils are commonly sown in the field as a legume crop. However, it can also be grown as a vegetable plant, that is, not to full ripeness. Unripe seeds are even tastier.

Lentils are the oldest culture. It is considered a monastery. In Germany, it is served as a holiday meal on Christmas Eve, before Christmas. In Catholic countries, lentils are consumed during fasting, the English word Lent means fasting. From the Latin name of lentil came the male name Lentul, and in Greece the city of Fakuss is named after her.

The native land of lentils is Southwest Asia. The most cultured, large-seeded forms originated in the Mediterranean. Then it spread to Greece, Italy, Germany, then to the Lithuanians and to us. This is evidenced by the mentions of cochlea (as they called lentils in ancient Russia) in chronicles dating back to the first half of the 15th century.

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In terms of taste and nutritional value, lentils are one of the first among leguminous crops, they boil faster and better than all legumes, and have a more pleasant and delicate taste. Lentil seeds contain from 24 to 35% protein, carbohydrates - from 48 to 53%, fat - from 0.6 to 2%, minerals - from 2.3 to 4.4% / It is also a good source of B vitamins Vitamin C appears in germinating seeds. Lentil protein, which contains vital amino acids, is well absorbed by the body. The energy value of 100 g of seeds is 310 kcal. Lentils do not accumulate nitrates, toxic elements, radionuclides and can be considered an environmentally friendly product.

It is used to prepare a variety of table dishes: salad, soup (stew), porridge, mashed potatoes, pates, jelly. Because of their quick digestibility, lentils are usually not soaked before boiling.

Cereal and flour are equally important. Lentils are more nutritious than whole seeds. This is due to the fact that during processing, the seed coat is removed. Flour is most used in the baking industry, especially in the manufacture of biscuits, adding it to wheat in an amount of 15-20% increases the protein content in bread by 3-4%. Also, lentil flour is used in the confectionery and gastronomic industry in the manufacture of coffee, cocoa, sweets, cookies, chocolate, sausages.

To expand the range of lentil dishes prepared as independent cold snacks, soups, main courses, side dishes, mashed potatoes, casseroles with various fillings and sauces, as well as to speed up culinary processing, pre-extrusion processing is used, that is, heating of crushed lentils at elevated pressure to temperatures 130-180 ° C. At the same time, the specific "bean" taste disappears.

Sprouted seeds carry tremendous energy potential. By adding them to food, we get a powerful boost of vivacity. Enzymes contained in seedlings break down the storage proteins, fats and carbohydrates of these seeds, making it easier for us to assimilate them, and continue to work in the human body, saving its internal strength. The amount of trace elements and vitamins increases during germination tens and hundreds of times, they are built into the organic system of the living tissue of the plant, and their assimilation does not adversely affect human health, which can be observed when using many pharmaceuticals.

The healing properties of lentils have long been used: its broth helps with kidney stone disease. A mixture of lentil flour with butter is used to treat burns, and with egg yolk - to heal wounds.

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Some Lentil Recipes

From the old recipes, one can note the "Housewife's Friend" published in the cookbook of 1908, where it is recommended to cook lentils in soft water (river or rain). Having boiled it in such salted water until half cooked, it should be transferred to another saucepan, salt and boiled, adding water only so that it barely covers the lentils; then drain this water, put 1-2 tablespoons of veal fat and one spoonful of fried onions in a saucepan, keep it on fire for another 15 minutes and serve separately or with meat.

Lentil salad

Sort out the lentils, rinse and cook until tender, then salt, add the fried finely chopped onions, crushed walnuts, pepper, garlic, parsley.

For 80 g of lentils - 20 g of sunflower oil, 25 g of onions, 15 g of walnuts, salt, pepper and parsley to taste.

Lentil and vegetable salad with fruit

Rinse and boil the lentils until tender, put in a colander and cool. Grate raw carrots and apples on a coarse grater, cut the boiled beets into small pieces and mix everything with lentils. Add sugar, lemon zest or juice, salt, pepper, season with sour cream or mayonnaise.

For 100 g of lentils - 1 beet, 2 carrots, 2 apples, 200 g of sour cream or mayonnaise, sugar, salt, pepper, lemon to taste.

Lentil Vinaigrette

Boil beets, carrots, potatoes. Peel and chop finely. Add finely chopped cucumbers, sauerkraut and boiled lentils. Season with mayonnaise or vegetable oil.

For 200 g of lentils - 2 beets, 3 potatoes, 2-3 pickles, 200 g of cabbage, 200 g of mayonnaise.

Lentil stew

Chop and fry 1-2 small onions in vegetable oil, add a glass of lentils pre-soaked in water, pour three glasses of boiling water and cook for about half an hour. While cooking, gradually add another glass of water. Put a little butter and chopped herbs before serving.

Lentil soup

The washed lentils are dipped in a saucepan with cold water and boiled with moderate heat, after half an hour add butter or vegetable oil (half the prescribed amount), diced, pre-peeled carrots and celery, garlic, savory and salt to taste. After 10-15 minutes, finely chopped tomatoes are dipped into a saucepan. Peeled, washed and finely chopped onions are stewed in the remaining fat. With continuous stirring, add flour diluted in a small amount of water, tomato paste and ground red pepper. This dressing is poured into the soup and boiled for another 10 minutes. When serving, each portion is garnished with finely chopped parsley and a little vinegar added if desired.

For 1 glass of lentils - 5 tablespoons of vegetable (butter) oil, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1/4 of a small celery root, 2 tomatoes (fresh or canned), 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 teaspoon of tomato paste, 1 a head of garlic, 1 sprig of savory, 1/4 bunch of parsley, vinegar, ground red pepper and salt to taste.

Lentil soup with chicken

Prepare chicken broth, dip lentils into it. Chop the onion, grate the carrots and celery root on a coarse grater. Put the roots and onions in the broth and boil over medium heat until lentils are cooked. Then add lemon juice, salt and bring to a boil. Season with spices, remove from heat and pour in portions into the still uncooled soup, carefully beaten with sour cream, not allowing the protein to brew.

For 1 chicken - 1 glass of lentils, 4 onions, 2 carrots, 1 parsley root, 0.5 celery root, 4 tablespoons of sour cream, 1 egg, 1-1.5 lemon, salt and pepper to taste.

Lentil puree

The seeds are sorted out and washed. Cook over low heat until tender, drain the remaining water, add salt and stir. Then it is passed through a meat grinder or rubbed through a sieve, finely chopped and fried onion is added and everything is mixed.

For 1 glass of lentils - 1 onion and 2 tablespoons of oil.

Lentil cutlets with salted mushrooms

Break 200 g of ordinary bread crumbs, pour a glass of hot cream or milk. When cool, strain. Soak two glasses of lentils for six hours in milk, then boil in it, strain. Combine with breadcrumbs, three raw eggs, finely chopped mushrooms (150-200 g), dill, parsley, two tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup sour cream. Add flour to the consistency of regular minced meat. Stir, make cutlets, roll in flour and fry.

Lentil filling for pies

Boil the washed lentils until soft, mince, mix with the onions sauteed in vegetable oil, salt, add pepper and finely chopped garlic to taste.

For 1 glass of lentils - 2 onions, 2-3 tbsp. tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1-3 cloves of garlic, pepper, salt to taste.

Also read:

Growing Lentils in the Northwest