Lentil Recipes: Delicious Lentil Dishes | BRIGITTE.de

Lenses – all-round talents with many faces

Lenses have a reputation – completely wrongly, of course – for not being particularly sexy. They still have a bit of the image of bland poor people food that it used to be. And that although the pulses in the modern kitchen have long since proven how versatile and versatile they are. If hearty, exotic or even as a sweet variant – Lentils surprise with flavor combinations that you wouldn't have expected them to be. In hearty stews, in curry, in Indian dals, aromatic spreads, in healthy salads or as a side dish, they show that there are no limits to the imagination when preparing lentils. And if that's not enough variety for you, why not bake a cake with lentils.

Although there is something original German attached to the lens, the genus of lentils originally comes from Asia Minor. As early as the Neolithic Age, people between Syria and Egypt were growing lentils as a staple food. There is also evidence from Greece and Bulgaria that lentils were grown 7,000 years ago. Reason enough to take a closer look at the legume. Our little product knowledge should encourage you to integrate lentils more often into your healthy and balanced diet.

So healthy: why we should eat more lentils

Then as now, lentils are valued for their nutritiousness. They contain many important vitamins, minerals and fiber and with their many complex carbohydrates ensure that the feeling of satiety lasts for a long time and blood sugar levels rise slowly and gradually. This has a positive effect on digestion and makes the lentil practically one of the most underrated superfoods.

Thanks to its special superpower to absorb and dispose of toxins from the intestines, it strengthens the immune system. In addition to numerous antioxidants, they also have one high proportion of potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc and because of their high folic acid content are considered the ideal food for pregnancy. Vegetarians and vegans should also regularly incorporate lentils into their diet. You put one good source of protein and guarantee in combination with wholesome rice that all essential amino acids are absorbed through the diet.

Cooking with different types of lentils

That all sounds very scientific, but the love of the lens is also a question of taste: We love its nutty aroma, its firmness and its variability, which surprises time and again. But not all lenses are the same. There are different types of lentils that differ not only in appearance but also in taste – and they all deserve to be put on our plates every now and then. There is the large plate lenses, which are typically used for hearty German stews. Then there is Red lensesthat come from India and are used in the Indian national dish Dal, among other things. The advantage: Because they are already peeled, they cook quickly, similar to yellow lentils.

Black lentils are called beluga lentils, but are also known as caviar lenses. They have a particularly fine taste and a firm consistency. They are mainly used in upscale kitchens. The same goes for that too Puy lentils, one of the finest types of lentils. They are often used for salads and are characterized by a nutty taste and their crunchy bite. You can of course find out which type of lentils is the right one for the respective recipe in the list of ingredients. Important: The preparation of lentils is – with the unpeeled varieties – quite time-consuming. You have to soak them in water overnight and then cook the lentils for another 30 to 60 minutes.

Modern and creative recipes with lentils

If you get involved in the culinary experiment with lentils, you should be prepared for a lot of surprises. In our recipes you will find, for example, a fruity lentil curry with melon, a lentil salad with harissa prawns, which causes a sensation with an unusual combination of cinnamon, ginger and pomegranate, light lentil balls that are based on falafel, the oriental chickpea ball, and with a fine yogurt dip and a highlight from French-inspired cuisine: lentil salad with fennel and pastis.

But the classically hearty dishes are not missing either: For example, we change the traditional German lentil soup with plate lentils by adding the Italian fennel sausage salsiccia to the soup. It brings a whole new, spicy aroma to good old home cooking. A classic from Swabia is of course also included: lentils and spaetzle with sausages. So it's definitely worth looking through the recipes above and getting some inspiration. Because there is so much more in lenses than you think.