Non-mushy lentil recipe/help

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MiracleMama

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 9:44 am

I have not made lentils for years and when I did it was in some sort of soup or stew so it all went mushy and that was okay.

But I bought a bag of these beautiful rainbow lentils and I'd like to cook them in a way that will hold their shape and color so it will be an attractive side dish. I have no clue how to prepare them properly.

Help!

granolamom

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 10:42 am

I dont know what rainbow lentils are, but red lentils will get mushy when cooked. if you want lentils that hold their shape, go with the brown ones. and dont presoak or overcook.

mha3484

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 10:43 am

There is a recipe in one of the KBD for a lentil salad with different veggies. It looks really good. I can type the recipe tonight if you want.

Della

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 10:48 am

This is not a side dish, but but a dinner. We love it!

Spiced Lentil Tacos
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
1 package (2.25 ounce) taco seasoning
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
8 taco shells
1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping teaspoons sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

Pineapple

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 12:24 pm

Thanks monsey mom this sound so good!

Della

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 1:07 pm

Pineapple wrote:

Thanks monsey mom this sound so good!

You're welcome.

A nice side benefit to cooking vegetarian (and we are not vegetarians) is that meals are so much cheaper than meaty ones!

MiracleMama

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 9:09 pm

Thanks for responses. I don't really need a specific recipe. I'm just looking for water/broth to lentil ratio that will yield non-mushy lentils. Recipes I saw called for 4 cups liquid to 1 cup lentils but I am afraid that will be soupy/mushy. I guess I can just add a cup at a time and see how it goes, but was hoping someone could give more specific info.

ra_mom

Wed, Feb 15 2012, 9:35 pm

MiracleMama wrote:

the recipe above calls for 1 cup lentils to 2 1/2 cups liquid. that sounds better than 4 cups.
check your lentil package, there are usually the best instructions for the product on there.

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 5:57 am

Pardina lentils hold their shape when cooked - not pretty rainbow colors, but tasty and more attractive than mush.

Red lentils by nature dissolve when cooked and can make a very pretty yellow-orange soup. T

o keep regular brown lentils looking nice, it's more a matter of not overcooking than liquid ratio, but I find it's hard to keep them intact.

Hope this helps!

granolamom

Thu, Feb 16 2012, 11:43 am

when I cook brown lentils I dont measure, I just add water to two inches above the lentils, bring to boil then simmer for about 20-30 min, taste frequently until you have the texture you want. then strain. its not like rice, the water doesnt get all absorbed.

or if you have the time and patience, boil for 10 min, strain, then return lentils to pot, add about 1/4 cup hot water and steam on very very low flame until they're done. read this in the NY Times dining section a while back, supposedly parboiling and then steaming helps them keep their shape. altough I never have trouble with the first method so long as I dont overcook.

Pineapple

Sun, Feb 19 2012, 2:35 pm

Made the taco lentils today
They were sooo good!
Thanks again monsey mom!

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