Lentils

Small legumes that cook without soaking, sold in varieties (green, brown, red, black, French/Puy) that behave differently — green and brown hold their shape, red breaks down soft. Recipes that just say 'lentils' usually mean green or brown.

Lentils

Used for

  • soups
  • stews
  • salads
  • dal

In the kitchen

  • rinse before cooking
  • simmer until tender, 20–30 minutes for green/brown
  • don't salt the cooking water too early — it can toughen the skins

Picking it at the store

  • Check the color the recipe expects — green/brown hold their shape for salads and sides, while red and yellow dissolve into a purée, useful in soups but wrong for a lentil salad
  • No soaking needed, unlike most dried beans — just rinse and simmer

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