Lentils are to India as meatloaf is to America: the quintessential comfort food. Ranging from yellow and red to deep black, these tiny disc-shaped members of the legume family are eaten in some form at least twice a day in “any self-respecting Indian household,” says Kavita Mehta, founder of the Web-based Indian Foods Co. In fact, India is the world’s biggest producer and consumer of lentils. Known as dal, lentils typically are served at every meal with steamed rice or bread.
Why to try them: This superfood gives you protein and cholesterol-lowering soluble fiber, as well as about twice as much iron as other legumes. And lentils are higher in most B vitamins and folate, which is especially important for women of childbearing age because folate reduces the risk of birth defects. Plus, U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers discovered that the pigment in Beluga black lentils acts like an antioxidant and helps protect against heart disease, cancer, and the aging process in general. Not too shabby for something the size of a pencil eraser.
What to do with them: Lentils can be stored a long time, are easy to make, and are one of the cheapest protein sources going, at just 75 cents per pound at grocery stores. And unlike other legumes, you don’t have to soak them before cooking. Just rinse them in cold water and simmer in water or broth. Enjoy them plain or spiced with herbs, onions, or garlic.
Recipe by Mark Bittman
This recipe is as easy as it is tasty.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
By Joan Raymond
Comments (17)
I need some information..
Of all the lentils we have, can you please let me know which ones are good for health and which ones aren’t??
boiled Peanuts attract me and i can eat loads of them and i am a fan of our daal, regardless of which lentil it is prepared off!!
my friends say, i am putting on weight because of lentils and am worried towards my increase in waist line.
I hope to hear from some one.
Regards, Mr.VMV.
Most likely you’re putting on weight because of the peanuts, not the lentils. Lentils are low in calories and fat, where as nuts, although very healthy, are higher in fat and calories. Try to eat only 1/4 cup of nuts per day.
I cook my lentils along with my rice. Is that a good idea or am I losing nutrients when I boil the two?
I love lentils as a hot dish or a cold one. As a cold dish I will add cut celery, peppers, onions, a varienty of herbs and pepper to an oil and venigar dressing with a bit of a sweetener. Lentils are very tasty with a yoghurt dressing. A meal a snack to look forward to enjoy.
My daughter is allergic to Lentils. I was curious to know if Thaur dhal is a lentil like Masoor dhal or is it different from Masoor dhal.
thanks
MRK
I am very happy to see the inclusion of lentils as world’s healthy food. I have written an article on different lentils and how to use them. Can I send the article to you so that I can share with your readers?
It it true that lentils contain lactic acid?
To find out the nutrient value on Lentils you can go to
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=43
i m 26 yrs old boy,i need to build muscles.so could u pls guide me through a perfect diet chart(diet before and after my workout.
My sister believes that routin daily indian food(roti,dal ,chaval,vegetables,khichdi) is not healthy it just satisfaied ur hunger.
she argue that as cook vagetables with oil then all minerals and vitamins are destroied.and she eat SUBWAY sandwich every day……….is that true?
i want perfect answer that i can show her and she understand well……….INDIAN FOOD IS HEALTHY FOOD….
Thanks ,
Kaushal Patel
Do lentils often get worms in them? Or do the indsides of them have a sprout that resembles a white worm?
When you soak or cook lentils, the little sprout thing becomes visible. It’s not a worm. I can tell if my grains and beans have bugs in them by looking for dust and webs stuck to the side of the container.
I’m going to India next week and have just found out my cholesterol is quite high. Can i get some tips of what to eat while i’m there that will help lower my cholesterol?
Be very careful with indian food. Although they eat alot of lentils they still have one of the highest rates of diabetes in the world due to all the ghee (butter) and trans fat which goes into their curries etc.
@Kaushal
Cooking vegetables has actually been shown to increase the bodies effectivness of absorbing them since SOME raw vegetables are not in an easily absorbed form of course it depends on which vegetable you are looking at. On the subject of subway tell your friend to be careful because their sandwiches are still quite high in salt.
So really Indian food can be healthy but you need to pick foods which are based around yogurt and not ghee or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil.
Dahl is healthy, but a little dull with out something to bring out the flavor of the curry and turmeric. My suggestion is to include a little Thai or Mexican in the dahl recipe. For example, I like to add just a little vinegar (especially apple cider or sherry), fish sauce, green tomatoes or cilantro. The sour goes well with the curry and garlic.
Are lentils good for lowering blood pressure?
I love fresh lentil salad with squeezed lemon, rather than vinegar. I eat it plain or toss it atop my left over pasta (no sauce) the next day! Makes a delicious pasta salad!