Tomato Lentil Curry Recipe - Gimme Some Oven (2024)

FAQs

How long do lentils take to cook? ›

Be sure to use a large enough saucepan as the lentils will double or triple in size. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce heat and simmer until they are tender. For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5-7 minutes.

Lentils are cooked as soon as they are tender and no longer crunchy. Older lentils may take longer to cook and shed their outer skins as they cook. Strain the lentils and remove the bay leaf, if used. Return the lentils to the pan and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Give them a simmer

(Here's a handy cooking chart for that.) You can also add salt, aromatics like a halved onion, herbs, and spices to the pot before the lentils and the water, like beans, or wait until they're done cooking to flavor them.

Cook the lentils: In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 17 to 20 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water, let cool.

The process of soaking removes the gas-causing elements from the lentils. While legumes contain complex oligosaccharides, a type of complex sugar responsible for bloating and gas. Post-soaking the complex sugar is remarkably reduced thereby easing gas troubles.

As a general rule, one cup of dried lentils yields two to two-and-a-half cups of cooked lentils.

Place lentils in a large pot with at least 2 inches of unsalted liquid covering them. Bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce heat to very low, so only slow bubbles appear. Cook your lentils uncovered on low heat for 20-45 minutes (based on the variety) to plump them up while avoiding split skins and mushy results.

Bring the water to a boil and keep the heat on medium-high. Steam the lentils for 12-15 minutes until they are tender (you should be able to squish a cooked lentil between your fingers). Make sure not to overcook. Your lentils will turn mushy if overcooked, so keep an eye on the timer.

Lentils should always be consumed well-cooked as when raw or undercooked they can cause serious health problems, food poisoning and, in very extreme cases, even death. It's all because they contain natural compounds called lectins which are toxic but fortunately, cooking destroys them!

What pairs well with lentils? ›

The best side dishes to serve with lentils are roasted vegetables, yellow rice, couscous, caramelized onions, gobi manchurian, tomato basil soup, brown rice, grilled flatbread, Greek salad, cucumber raita, quinoa, and naan bread.

Black Beluga lentils have the most flavor, adding a rich, earthy taste and a firm texture that holds up well during cooking. Black lentils will be ready in 20–25 minutes; however, they will fall apart like their brown, green, and red partners once you cook them for too long.

Eating half a cup of cooked lentils gives you lots of essential nutrients and their high fiber content makes you feel full. However, the fiber in lentils can be hard for your body to break down. Eating too many lentils can cause gas, bloating, and cramping.

Once the water is boiling, add the rinsed lentils. Add the salt, and the bay leaf and/or garlic, if using. If you're cooking red lentils, set the timer for 6 minutes.

Note: Dried out lentil varieties don't need to be soaked. 1 cup of dried lentils yields 2 1/2 cups of cooked lentils. Serving size per person is ¼ cup.

The beauty of lentils is that they don't take long to cook (around 20 minutes or so), whereas beans require a couple of hours on the stove. Since I'm generally in a hurry before dinner, their quick cook time is a big selling point. If you're trying to eat better, just add more lentils.

Bring the water to a boil and keep the heat on medium-high. Steam the lentils for 12-15 minutes until they are tender (you should be able to squish a cooked lentil between your fingers). Make sure not to overcook. Your lentils will turn mushy if overcooked, so keep an eye on the timer.

Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil, add lentils. Cover, reduce heat and simmer the lentils, stirring occasionally for 15-40 minutes or until tender and fluffy textured on the inside. In general, red lentils will take 15 minutes, while brown will take 20 minutes and green lentils will take up to 40 minutes.

Lentils older than a few months can dry out and either split or become extra hard, taking forever to soften during the cooking process. Soaking the lentils can bypass this problem, but you'll need to be patient.