Lentils - what is it? Delicious dishes from lentils. Lentils: simple cooking recipes

Lentils - what is it? The answer to this question you will get from the materials of this article. Also we will tell you about what is remarkable about this product and how it is used in cooking.

General information about the product / plant

Lentils - what is it? It is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family of legumes.

This is one of the oldest crops. It is widely cultivated not only as a food, but also as a forage plant. Occasionally it can be found in the form of weed.

Distribution in the world

Lentils - what is it and where is it spread? The native land of this plant is Western Asia and Southern Europe. In these places it was cultivated since the Neolithic period. Mention of the culture in question occurs in the Old Testament, and its remains are found in prehistoric Switzerland and in the Egyptian pyramids.

In the wild, this plant grows in Central and Asia Minor, as well as in South-Eastern Europe.

Today, the largest areas of lentil cultivation are located in India, Turkey, Canada, Iran and Nepal. As for Central Europe, there it is bred in small quantities.

Use of the product / plant in practice

Lentils - what is it and how do they apply this culture in practice? For many Asian peoples, the fruits of this plant are the most important source of protein, which, in its nutritional properties, can replace bread, cereals and even meat products.

The process of cultivation of this culture is the same as that of peas. However, it should be noted that such a plant is more thermophilic. It quickly suffers from frosts, but it is much easier to tolerate dry seasons.

Delicious dishes from lentils, or rather, from its fruits, are very popular not only in our country, but also in other countries. From this product make garnishes, cook soups, prepare salads and even cutlets. Especially popular among vegetarians.

It should also be noted that even since ancient times, lentils have been valued as a very effective medicinal plant. It was used to treat nervous disorders and gastric diseases. Wizards used infusion of lentils with smallpox. As for the liquid decoction, he helped to cope with constipation well. Also this remedy was actively used for liver diseases and kidney stone disease.

Composition of the product

Puree from lentils, as well as other dishes, are not very caloric and at the same time very satisfying. What is the reason for this? The fact is that this product contains a huge amount of nutrients. Let's list them right now: proteins, tryptophan, carbohydrates, vitamin B12, fiber, calcium, vitamin B6, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C, iron, fats, beta-carotene, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin B1.

How is lentils used in cooking? Simple Recipes

You do not need a lot of time to prepare this product. Moreover, from it you can make a very satisfying and tasty dish, which will not leave any member of your family indifferent.

Let's look at how mashed lentils are prepared together. For this garnish, we need the following components:

• Lentils green or red (to your liking) - 1 full glass;
• Carrot fresh and juicy - 1 medium pc .;
• Olive oil (can be taken with a characteristic aroma) - 1 large spoon;
• Cheese hard fused - 20 g;
• Thyme - apply to your liking;
• Ground black pepper - apply to your liking;
• Salt sea - add at discretion.

Process of preparing the main product

How to prepare delicious lentils? Recipe mashed potatoes can provide for the use of both green and red bean products. It should be specially noted that this ingredient is prepared in exactly the same way as regular peas.

Lentils are sorted, cleaned of delicate elements, and then spread into a sieve and washed strongly first in hot, and then in cold water.

As soon as the product leaves all the dirt, it is placed in a deep bowl. Gulf of lentils with ordinary water, it is left in this form for 12 hours. This is necessary in order for it to swell well. Only in this case you will get a tender and delicious puree.

Heat treatment process on the plate

After the lentils are infused in the water and swollen, they begin to cook it. For this, the product is spread into a pan and then poured with water. The liquid should cover lentils by 2-3 cm. Also add to it pieces of fresh carrots, thyme and a little salt. In this composition, the ingredients are brought to a boil and boiled for about half an hour (longer). During this time, lentils and pieces of carrots should be fully prepared.

The final stage in the preparation

After the described actions, remove all excess liquid from the pan (if it has not evaporated), and then cool down a little. Next, a submersible blender is introduced into the dishes. Thanks to simple manipulations, the ready-made bean product must be completely crushed, forming a homogeneous and very tasty puree.

Having tasted the dish, it is additionally peppered and salted (if necessary). Next, add a little olive oil and finely grated cheese.

Serving dinner for dinner

Serve lentil mashed to the table preferably in a hot form. To this side dish is ideal for poultry meat, beef goulash or any sausage products. Also to mashed potatoes you can serve cutlets or fried fish.

Preparation of salad with lentils

Lentils with chicken are an excellent combination, which is used not only for cooking second and first courses, but also for making a light salad. To make it at home, the bean product is recommended to pre-germinate. How to do this, we will discuss further.

So, to prepare a salad with lentils, we will need:

• Fresh chicken fillet - 400 g;
• Flavored crusts - 50 g;
• Lettuce leaves - 20 g;
• Lentils germinated - 30 g;
• Lemon juice - 2 small spoons;
• Olive oil, salt - to your liking.

We cultivate the bean product

Lentils with chicken in the form of a salad are prepared very easily. But this takes a lot of time.

To germinate the bean product, it is thoroughly washed in hot water, and then spread into a not very deep dish. Then it is poured with a small amount of water (not to cover up). In this form, lentils are left at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. After a while, it should be as soft as possible and start growing. It is in this form that the product should be used to create a salad.

Processing of main components

To prepare the snack in question, fresh chicken fillets are boiled in salt water. Further it is cooled and shredded in cubes. Also, separately wash salad leaves and tear them with their hands in a chaotic manner.

The process of forming and feeding to the table

After processing all the ingredients, the chicken fillet is laid out in a deep bowl, to which are added ripped leaves of lettuce, sprouted lentils and flavored croutons. After mixing the ingredients, they are sprinkled with lemon juice and seasoned with natural olive oil.

It should be specially noted that it is necessary to form such a salad just before serving it to invited guests. This is done so that the crackers that make up the snack, not soaked and do not spoil the whole dish.

If you want to get a more high-calorie dish, then it can be filled not with olive or some other vegetable oil, but with sour cream or, for example, mayonnaise. However, in this case, the benefits of such a snack will be minimal.