What to do with red lentils?

asyouseefit

I have a box of lentils I want to use up but I have no idea what to make! All I can think of is dhal with naan breads but it's too much of a carb/calorie explosion to fit into my menu... Any ideas that involve a bit more protein?

Thanks!

speedy001

Cook them up and throw them in a salad with some sundried tomato. Mash them up and make a dip for snacks with vegetables. Cook them up with some veggies and curry powder to make a tasty soup. Lentils are amazing

missy_1975

Bacon and lentil soup - yummy! Add onions, carrots, tomato, cellery, stock, lentils, a bay leaf and chopped bacon into big pot (you can fry off the veg and the bacon if you like, I find no difference in the taste if I just chuck em in the stock without frying off first and saves on cals not frying in oil).

Bring to boil, them simmer till veg are cooked, season to taste (bacon is aleady salty, so I add pepper only). Then blend and you're done!

I also add lentils to casseoles and stews to bulk them up, thicken them and to add good protein.

Missjulesdid

Get a pot and set burner to medium and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

Cook one finely chopped onion, two finely chopped carrots. Cook until onion is translucent and carrot loses some color. Add four cloves of minced garlic. Stir for a minute. Add one cup of rinsed and drained split red lentils, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika and a half teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you like a bit of spice. Stir for a minute or so.

Add three cups of chicken stock (you can use water if you must)

Cook until the lentils are mush and the soup becomes thick. Add more water/stock as necessary (sometimes you need to add a LOT more liquid) this takes maybe 30 minutes to reach this stage. sometimes longer.

When it's done add a half bag of frozen chopped spinach and cook for 8 minutes

Add salt and pepper to taste.

ladle into your bowl and squeeze the juice of half a lemon on your soup.

If you have calories to spare, you can add even more olive oil on the top of the soup for extra deliciousness.

YUMEEEEEEEEE I eat this at least once a week.

You can also add chicken to this and make it kind of a thick chicken soup.




Also I wouldn't suggest making the Dahl with rice or mjaddara. These recipes typically use brown or green lentils which are very different in how they cook compared to split red lentils.

cramernh

Also I wouldn't suggest making the Dahl with rice or mjaddara. These recipes typically use brown or green lentils which are very different in how they cook compared to split red lentils.

That isnt true at all... when we hold theme-nights for dinner events, we use red and yellow lentils for making Dahl/Daal. They hold up better in a soup and carry well when reheated as well.


Asyouseefit: Perhaps venturing over to www.recipesource.com might be helpful? They have TONS of recipes there - and many of them are REALLY good!!

Missjulesdid

Also I wouldn't suggest making the Dahl with rice or mjaddara. These recipes typically use brown or green lentils which are very different in how they cook compared to split red lentils.

That isnt true at all... when we hold theme-nights for dinner events, we use red and yellow lentils for making Dahl/Daal. They hold up better in a soup and carry well when reheated as well.


Asyouseefit: Perhaps venturing over to www.recipesource.com might be helpful? They have TONS of recipes there - and many of them are REALLY good!!

When I said Dahl with rice I'm specifically referring to a dish that I had and prepared many times in Pakistan. When I say Mjaddara, I'm specifically referring to a dish that I have prepared in Lebanon. Dishes can vary regionally for sure but where I was cooking, you can't use the red lentils for these dishes. Of course since the word Dahl simply means lentil it can also refer to red lentils. A lot of people call plain red lentil soup Dahl. If you or anyone has a recipe that calls for split red lentils then use them. BUT don't think you can use a recipe that calls for BROWN/GREEN lentils and substitute the red ones. It WON'T work.

charlotte66

my fav my granny used to make

lential soup! very simple but sooo tasty, lentials onion carrots bacon and a stock cube either chicken or veg, soften onions add carrots pour in water add bacon and lentils then simmer even better when heatd up the next day

sunkisses

Make confetti! YES!
just kiddin'
I don't have any ideas. I'd have to Google first, and I figure you've done that already.

trulabfloyd

You can cook them the same as other lentils. I have a great recipe for lentil stew. Just add mushrooms (lots) half an onion diced, celery, carrot chopped, vinegar, ( just a splash) salt pepper and basil to flavor. It is a great tasting and hearty meal. Try it!

daffodilsoup

Lentils make an amaaaaaazing vegetarian or vegan "meat" loaf. There are tons of recipes online, but most of them just require blending the lentils with onion, garlic, shredded carrots, a binder such as flax meal, and ketchup. Top with ketchup and bake - delicious and nutritious!

LooseWheel

Feed the pidgeons? lol sorry, no idea. best of luck.

erickirb

Dahl, very yummy: http://dairyfreecooking.about.com/od/soupschilistews/r/lentildahl.htm

You can also use them in place of split peas, is soups. (instead of split pea soup, made red lentil soup)

babykanguruh

I just cooked green lentils last night and made lentil joes. I mixed 1/4 cup manwich sauce with half cup cooked lentils and put it on a whole wheat hamburger bun with mustard. Yum!

Espressocycle

Why not daal over quinoa? Or daal over riced cauliflower?

asyouseefit

Some great ideas guys, thanks! (except feeding the pidgeons, for which you get a 75€ fine where I live!)

jlong7774

I cook green lentils with garlic sauteed first and chicken stock. Once the lentils are cooked with the garlic and chicken stock I combine it with some whole wheat pasta. Be careful with the portions but this is a hearty and filling dinner.

rachmaree

The way they make red lentil soup in Turkey:

sautee one med-large onion in olive oil,
add about 2 cups red lentils (dry)
add about 1/3 a cup of white rice
2 chicken stock cubes and water, or just chicken stock to cover by about an inch
bring to a boil then simmer about 30 minutes.

Blend it all up with an immersion blender.

Surprisingly good, and super simple. I usually add red pepper flakes.