Organic Brown Lentils - a wonderful addition to a vegetarian pantry. Use in vegetarian/vegan spaghetti bolognese or lasagna.
The lentil plant (Lens Culinaris) originates from Asia and North Africa and is one of our oldest sources of food. A cousin to the pea and a rich provider of protein and carbohydrates the lentil is also a good source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and B vitamins – making it an important diet staple the world over.
There are several different varieties – most commonly used in cooking are brown, red, green, puy and yellow.
How to prepare lentils
Lentils do not require it but can be soaked in order to reduce cooking time by about half.
Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.
Boil lentils in three times the volume of water and avoid cooking with anything acidic – such as vinegar.
As a rough guide to cooking times:
Green and brown lentils: 35-45 minutes
Red split lentils: 15-20 minutes
Puy lentils: 25-30 minutes
Yellow lentils: 40-45 minutes