Lentils
Lentils are a versatile and quick-cooking legume. Traditionally eaten on New Year in Brazil symbolizing prosperity. They have a mild flavor and can be used in soups, salads, and side dishes.
⏱️ Cooking Time: 25 minutes
🥘 Ingredients
- 2 cups lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- Salt to taste
👨🍳 How to Make
- 1
Rinse lentils under running water and remove any small stones.
- 2
Heat olive oil and saute onion and garlic until golden.
- 3
Add carrot and cumin, stir for 1 minute.
- 4
Add lentils and water.
- 5
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low.
- 6
Cook for 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender.
- 7
Add salt in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- 8
Adjust consistency: drain for drier lentils or keep the broth for soup.
🔄 Cooking Variations
| Method | Time | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure cooker | 10 min | Cook for 8 minutes after reaching pressure. Be careful not to overcook. | |
| Lentil soup | 30 min | Add more water (1:3), tomato, and potato. Blend part of it to thicken. |
💡 Tips
- ✦ Lentils do not need to be soaked, unlike beans.
- ✦ Do not add salt at the beginning as it can toughen the lentils.
- ✦ The ratio is 1 cup of lentils to 2 cups of water.
- ✦ Cook with the lid slightly ajar for better texture control.
🧠 Did You Know?
Lentils are one of the oldest cultivated legumes, with records dating back 8,000 years.
In Brazil, eating lentils on New Year is a tradition to attract prosperity.
Lentils are one of the best plant-based sources of iron.
🥗 Nutrition Info
A 100g serving of cooked lentils contains about 116 kcal, 20g of carbohydrates, 9g of protein, and 7.9g of fiber. Rich in iron, folate, and potassium.