Lentils 101 - How to Prepare and Cook Lentils
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- Опубликовано: 5 июн 2019
- This video covers how to prepare and cook lentils. See below for instructions and also my blog site for my complete notes on Lentils 101 - The Basics at: www.judiklee.com/2019/06/04/l...
How to Prepare Lentils
Compared to other beans or legumes, lentils are very easy to prepare since they need no presoaking. Before cooking them, check them for stones or debris and remove anything as needed. Place the dry lentils in a strainer and rinse them under cold water, then cook as desired.
How to Cook Lentils
When boiling lentils, use one part lentils to three parts water. It is not mandatory, but bringing the water to a boil first before placing the lentils in the water helps to make them more digestible. When the water returns to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes until tender. Brown lentils usually take about 30 minutes to cook. Red lentils take about 20 minutes, and black lentils may take up to 45 minutes to cook. Some recipes call for slightly more firm lentils, requiring a little less cooking time, while other recipes call for very soft lentils, requiring a little more cooking time.
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Judi, what a wonderful and informative video. Most people on RUclips would have taken 20 minutes to communicate the information that you did in the concise amount of time. Thank you very much
You're welcome, C W! I'm glad the video was helpful to you :) Thanks for watching and commenting :)
You seem to be such a sweet person! Thanks for the video and recommendations
You're welcome, Violet! Thanks for watching and for your kind comments. I DO appreciate it :)
Thanks for the information. I’ve been trying to find out off you could use stock instead of water and you are the only person I found that covered this in your video. Thanks again.
I'm glad this video was helpful! Thanks for watching and sharing :)
Thank you Judi very helpful!
You're welcome, Alexander! Thank YOU for watching and commenting :)
Thank you . Just what I needed . God Bless You 💕
Great! I'm glad the video was helpful to you, Terri. Thanks for watching and sharing! Blessings to you and yours :)
Thank you! You kept it so simple ♥️
You're welcome, Terri! I'm glad the video was helpful to you! Thanks for watching and commenting :)
I know I was thinking the same thing you were how many people on RUclips would have taken 45 minutes to convey the same information but not nearly as well
I like your straight forward explanation on how to based on the experience I assume. That is what I value very much and saved me a lot time. Thank you.
Thanks for watching and commenting! YES...I have a LOT of experience in the kitchen (I've been cooking for roughly 60 years!), AND lots of formal training in food and nutrition. Hopefully it shows :) Blessings to you and yours :)
Thank you! Simple and straight to the point!
I'm glad the video was helpful! Yep...straight to the point is what I prefer for my videos! Thanks for watching and commenting :)
Succinct and to the point - Thanks Judi
You're welcome, Michael! Thank for watching and commenting. I'm glad the video was helpful to you :)
I thought the same thing. How refreshing
Simple and straight to the truth😎👍
Hi Brian! Thanks for watching and commenting! Yes...I DO try to keep things straight to the point. Glad you noticed :)
great video. I just started learning to cook lentils the other day. I didn't let the cook long enough both times. But they were not too hard some were mushy. It's ok to eat them if they're are tender , right ? They taste good , anyway!
Hi! Best wishes in your cooking endeavors! Yes, lentils can be enjoyed when they are tender. They don't have to be cooked until completely mushy. Tender is great...without any toughness or crunch. Thanks for watching and sharing :)
So it is kinda like rice, all the water gets all absorbed. As opposed to pasta where you drain off the water? (I've only used them in soup, which doesn't matter much)
Yes, Eddie. When you cook them according to directions, all or almost all of the water gets absorbed, like rice. Thanks for watching and asking!
Thanks Judi. A warm, happy new year from Israel.
Hi I M! Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words! Best wishes to you and yours, also, for a blessed 2021. Thanks for letting me know where you are in the world. It's always a thrill to see just how far-reaching the videos can be :)
Wonderful
Great Elizabeth! I'm glad this helps you out!! Thanks for commenting :)
Thank you ma’am 😇
You're welcome! Thanks for watching and commenting :)
thank you for this :)
You're very welcome! I'm glad it was helpful to you. Thanks for watching and commenting :)
Good evening ma'am. I was wondering if there is an easy way to measure green lentils if you do not have kitchen scales please? I understand that 80gm dried lentils is equal to one portion but I am not sure what it looks like. I am in UK., but understand that people in USA use "cups" which confuses me (and I am easily confused!)
Thank you for any advice you may be able to offer.
Blessings and peace.
Hi George! Thanks for watching and sharing. I'm not sure what unit of measurement you're looking for comparison. 80 grams as compared to what? I looked up a cup of lentils, which is equivalent to 190 grams, so 80 grams is 1/2 cup. Since you don't have cup measuring devices, do you measure fluid ounces? You could use a 4 fluid ounce measuring device to get your 80 grams equivalent. That is roughly 118 milliliters. In estimating how much might fit into the palm of my hand, I'd say it's roughly 2 hefty palm fulls. For a man, who would undoubtedly larger than me, perhaps 2 medium palm fulls may give you roughly 80 grams. George, I hope this helps!
@@JudiintheKitchen Thank you Ma'am. I think your very full information sounds very helpful. Yes I was wondering about mls/gms I am quite new to cooking things like lentils - I am trying to become more vegetarian - and though most vegetetables come out of the pot more or less as they went in, at least in size - I was a bit unsure about lentils and rice which I really enjoy. Blessings and peace.
@@georgealderson4424 I hope the info does in fact help. I commend you for your efforts and wish you the best in your dietary changes. You can't go wrong by eating more plant-based foods!!
@@JudiintheKitchen Thank you. Time will tell!
@@georgealderson4424 If you are serious about cooking you really ought to invest in a set of kitchen scales. They needn't be expensive and will save you a lot of headaches.
Thank you! ❤
Thanks for watching and commenting! I'm glad the video was helpful to you :)
@@JudiintheKitchen Just one thing to mention Judi, there are a bigger/ harder types of lentils, dahls in Indian, which do need to be soaked before cooking, to release acids and gas.
@@desertflower2919 Thanks for sharing, desertflower! That's great info :)
Which of the lentils is better for a baby?
Hi Kimberly! From what I've read all lentils are good for babies, so I can't say which would be better. Of course, they should be completely cooked. When in doubt, please check with your pediatrician to be on the safe side. Thanks for watching and asking!
A baby *what*? (sorry couldn't resist, only for humor)
I thought you were going to actually do all this in the video and show us, but thank you anyway. I still found the info helpful. :):)
I'm glad you found the video to be helpful to you. I do have videos where I actually demonstrate specific recipes using lentils. Here's a simple way to cook them ruclips.net/video/q6Ee-GtbEfc/видео.html. Thanks for watching and commenting. I hope this helps :)
@@JudiintheKitchen Thank you!
@@nordonorth782 You're welcome :)
How much red lentil should one intake to get 400mcg of folic acid? And, for how long should that amount of lentils be cooked so that folic acid is not destroyed?
That's a question that would take scientific research to answer, so I'm sorry I can't offer an absolute answer to your question. Lentils are considered to be an excellent source of folate, so they are good to include in your diet especially if you're concerned with your folate intake. I suggest you consume a variety of foods (both cooked and fresh) that supply folate in addition to lentils, such as dark green leafy vegetables, asparagus, broccoli, avocados, and more. Eating a variety of folate-containing foods on a regular basis should meet your needs. If you're not sure, a supplement may be in order. Thanks for watching! I hope this helps :)
@@JudiintheKitchen anyways, thanks for the reply!
@@meghashreeguha2331 arey itne bure din aa gaye ,, ki tu chutiya European jewish zombie se advice le rahi he ??? Hadd he gulaami ki aur infeieority complex ki.. in madarchodon ko khaana banana Tak nahi aata...jabhi copy kar rahe ek ek karke hinduo k
Oh no… I’m only seeing this now after I have cooked my lentils. All I did was (mostly) follow the directions on the package, and I am extremely upset by the outcome! I bought green lentils, with the plan to mix them up with fake Trader Joe’s “beef-less” ground beef and black beans for a base that I use for taco salad. The last time I tried adding lentils to this taco salad base, I bought a prepared packaged refrigerated lentils from Trader Joe’s. It came out _FABULOUS._
I tried to save money this time and bought the lentils unprepared/uncooked. I got green because the nutrition seemed a bit better in them than the red that was the only other kind on the shelf.
Anyways, the directions on these green lentils states “Simmer gently with lid tilted until desired tenderness is reached, about 15 to 20 minutes.“ Well, I left the lid on fully (missed the tilted part), brought it to a boil, and reduced heat to let it simmer for 20 mins. They came out rather mushy and most of their skins have fallen off etc. This is not the texture at all of the prepared packaged refrigerated lentils that I got from Trader Joe’s, which I had literally just dumped in with the fake ground beef and black beans before (no pre-cooking)!
I don’t even know if I should add any of these overcooked green lentils at this point (I am mid cooking the meal atm). I’m scared to make my taco salad be MUSH! 😢😢😢😢 I really need all the protein I can get though, and can’t afford to throw out food, of course.
I'm sorry you had such a sad experience cooking dried lentils! Even though they are very soft, they are still very edible and there's really nothing wrong with them other than the fact that they were overcooked. I have not tried the "fake ground beef and black beans" that you mentioned, but I think it's worth using what you have and at least mix some of the lentils in the burger mix to make the tacos you wanted. Maybe not adding as much lentils as you would have will keep your taco mix from getting too soft. You could save the rest of the lentils to add to a soup sometime. Cook the soup and add the lentils at the very end, just enough to warm them back up. Thank you for watching and sharing your experience. Best wishes :)
@Judi in the Kitchen
That’s exactly what I ended up doing. I just didn’t use as much of them as I had planned to, and the taco salad still came out very tasty with a decent texture. :-)
I honestly don’t have experience with soup making unfortunately. I think I’ve only made one soup in my life haha (it was a potato leek soup, and it did come out really yummy, but it was a lot of work!).
So I don’t know of what kind of soup I can make with it… I think what I will end up doing is freezing them and mixing them in with my bird food for my parrot, because he seemed to really like them and his normal bean mixture diet had similar type of legumes and such in it.
Or I simply might use some again for a taco salad mix down the road, since as long as I don’t use too much of it, it doesn’t turn it into mush.
I have to go to Trader Joe’s and check out their lentils package and see what kind of lentils I had bought from them that was pre-cooked. They definitely weren’t green. I remember that much… I didn’t think at the time when I bought theses green ones that it would’ve made a difference though. : /
I do notice that it seems like often labels don’t properly say which KIND of lentils are in them. Have you noticed that too? It’s almost a guessing game haha.
The Trader Joe’s fake ground beef is just their brand version of the vegetarian fake ground beefs that you’ve seen in supermarkets everywhere. I added a can of black beans to that, and mixed it in with already sautéed diced green bell pepper, onions, garlic, and canned corn.
Of course I added some salt and pepper to that as well…
Then I warmed up some corn taco shells, and crushed them up with my warm “meat“ base mixture, along with shredded cheddar cheese to melt it.
I finished it off with adding sliced black olives, cubed avocado, diced tomatoes, shredded iceberg lettuce, sour cream, and mild taco sauce. It is an absolutely out of this world fabulous taco salad. :-)
I’ve seen recommendations to use kidney beans as well in some vegetarian taco salads… So I might try that one day as well.
Lots of great protein, that’s for sure, in this meal! Serious food coma after eating it too! Hahah. In fact, I usually pass out when I’m around 2/3 of the way done with that huge bowl of food, and finish it after I wake up from my nap LOL..
I’ve always wondered, why rinse lentils?
It's customary to rinse all legumes before using them. Sometimes there is debris in them... dust from the processing, small stones, twigs, etc. Rinsing and sorting through them helps to remove any dust residue and sorting helps us to fine any other debris. Trust me...there CAN be "stuff" mixed in. Personally, I HAVE bitten into a small stone or two from not finding them in the mix up front. It's no fun at all. It pays to look through them for starters! Thanks for watching and asking :)
@@JudiintheKitchen thank you so much! I’ve been enjoying your videos! :)
@@reasonablevegan You're very welcome! I'm glad you're enjoying the videos :) I love your name, reasonablevegan!
I have been trying to cook lentils all day and they JUST WONT GET TO A NICE SOFT AND MUSHY STAGE!! First of all I thought it was because I salted the water first. 3 hours later and they still weren't cooked. So I went again. Still took over an hour and they still weren't soft. I'm pulling my hair out!
Oh my, Mattie! I've never experienced that one before! I'm not sure if I can help, but if you offer some details, I'll try. Were the lentils very old? Older beans/legumes will take longer to cook, but 3 hours is waaaaaaaay long for lentils. I'm assuming they were in water or some type of watery liquid. Any details you can provide might help me identify the possible problem.
@@JudiintheKitchen You know what they were in a packet at the back of the cupboard for maybe 3 years? I didn't think that would be a problem... Somebody also said that sometimes hard water or alkaline water can affect the cooking process. I just used London tap water straight from the tapI have literally been waiting for them, to go mushy and they just won't! Its crazy!
@@mattiemclean9882 Hi Mattie! I have not experienced this, but I've read online that some people have experienced what you are from the water quality. If you have very hard water, then perhaps that's the culprit with your lentils not cooking up right. If you have a water filter, try using the filtered water. If not, it may be worth it just to buy a bottle of spring water or "drinking" water, or something like that and try cooking them with the bottled water. That should tell you if it's your tap water that's causing them to not cook properly. If you actually find that's the case, it may benefit you to invest in a water filter. Even one that hooks up to your kitchen sink faucet would be inexpensive to buy, easy to install, and well worth the effort/investment to have it. Your situation has me very curious. If you ever figure out the reason, especially if it's the water, please do keep me in mind and share the results of your findings. This information would surely help others out there! I hope this helps!!
@@JudiintheKitchen Thank you so much for taking the time to answer this! So even after 3 hours cooking last night and an overnight soak, they STILL didn't cook up so I threw them away and im making normal curry tonight! lol. But, I will try bottled water next time. And they weren't out of date, even thought the sell-by date is next month... So, next time it will be fresh lentils and mineral water and I will keep you posted! Maybe even tomorrow I will try...
I certainly hope you find the answer to that dilemma! Thank you for keeping me posted :)
👍🏼👍🏼😄😄
Thanks for watching and commenting, Miguel! :)
Do I stir often?
I stir them occasionally, yes. Thanks for watching and commenting :)
@@JudiintheKitchen Thank you so much. Now I know how to cook lentils ❤
@@crystalwaters9963 You're welcome Crystal. Happy cooking! :)
I don't know. You'd have to ask whoever you're sharing a bed with. I'm just trying to be a smart-ass
3:1 Ah Ha!!!
Hi Jeeves! Thank you for watching and commenting! I'm glad the video was helpful to you :)
I'm a visual learner
I can understand your point. So sorry if the video didn't meet your needs.
Why are the women that can cook name is Judy???? 🤔
Hi Jovanna! Interesting comment! I promise, that really IS my name (actually, it's Julia, but I've been called Judi all my life). Thanks for watching and commenting :)
👍🏼
@@miguelsamayoa9033 Thanks for watching and for the thumbs up, Miguel! :)
Ina Garten might object :)
Tuti
Thanks for watching!
Well I did this wrong thanks
Thank YOU for watching and commenting! I'm glad this video was helpful to you :)
Judi in the Kitchen no thank you for the advice ! People like me needed it
@@Theeastsidedemon You're very welcome! Thanks for your kindness :)
No you didn't. You just did it the way that you thought you should have been beginning. Don't hold yourself to accountable. You're a good and very smart person. Lentils will not defeat you