View Full Version : Looking for a freeze dried lentle source.
Chicken, re fried beans and other stuff -- easy.
Lentles? Not finding them.
Any ideas?
Maybe it is an artifact of location services interface with the searches?
swisscross
07-27-2017, 15:53
Harmony House has them.
Ankle Bone
07-27-2017, 16:10
Harmony House has them.
I would second Harmony House. I bought the backpacker kit - beans and vegetables. All good
One Half
07-27-2017, 17:05
Are those freeze dried lentils cooked before freeze drying?
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scrabbler
07-27-2017, 17:33
Are those freeze dried lentils cooked before freeze drying?
For those of us not so well versed, can you explain why you ask this, and why it makes a difference? I assume precooked would make it better, but I'm not certain.
For those of us not so well versed, can you explain why you ask this, and why it makes a difference? I assume precooked would make it better, but I'm not certain.
Question #2:
Are the lentils freeze dried or merely dehydrated?
What are the package preparation directions? In other words, do they require cooking?
Just curious. Freeze dried refried beans work for me.
Wayne
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Dehydrated lentil soup(or so it's called) found in bilk bins at many larger health food stores is what I use when wanting precooked dried lentils as an ingredient in a trail ready dinner. It's the same with many of the dehydrated black bean soup mixes. Don't let the soup label throw you off. They can be used in a dish that is not a soup. There may be some seasonality to finding these.
One Half
07-27-2017, 20:22
For those of us not so well versed, can you explain why you ask this, and why it makes a difference? I assume precooked would make it better, but I'm not certain.
I ask because I have my own freeze dryer but have yet to do lentils. Normally I cook everything first and then freeze dry it. You can see my results thus far by following the link in my signature. I was also wondering about consistency of the product after freeze drying.
Add Packit Gourmet to the list.
Already cooked.
https://www.packitgourmet.com/Lentils.html
Wayne
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Dehydrated lentil soup(or so it's called) found in bilk bins at many larger health food stores is what I use when wanting precooked dried lentils as an ingredient in a trail ready dinner. It's the same with many of the dehydrated black bean soup mixes. Don't let the soup label throw you off. They can be used in a dish that is not a soup. There may be some seasonality to finding these.
Thank you. That really helps in finding what I need.
Another Kevin
07-28-2017, 15:14
Hmm, I've never minded simply dehydrated lentils. Does freeze drying result in better quality?
Home dehydrating lentils is pretty easy, even without a dehydrator, since they're small enough that they don't need great air circulation. Spread baking parchment over a couple of cookie sheets, spread out the cooked lentils, put them in the oven on the lowest setting ('Warm' is fine) for a few hours. If they rattle when you pour them off the sheet, they're done. Store in Mason jars - don't worry about sealing the jars, just keep the lids on so moisture won't get in.
Some sort of dal bhaat tarkari is one of my staple dinners on the trail. Hey, it fuels the Sherpas, how bad can it be for hiking?
scrabbler
07-28-2017, 17:45
Some sort of dal bhaat tarkari is one of my staple dinners on the trail. Hey, it fuels the Sherpas, how bad can it be for hiking?
Can you post your recipe? Looking online I see a popular one with about 25 unique ingredients. That's a nope.
For those of us not so well versed, can you explain why you ask this, and why it makes a difference? I assume precooked would make it better, but I'm not certain.
Freeze dried and pre cooked --add boiling water and wait 30 seconds and you can eat them.
Many dehydtared ones want you to cook them thirty minutes.
I'm not exited about a backpacking meal that takes boiling thirty minutes.
I'm not exited about a backpacking meal that takes boiling thirty minutes.
Precisely.
That's why you spend time in supermarkets and online reading labels and cooking directions.
The point of the thread is sources of FULLY cooked and then FREEZE DRIED lentils.
Or DIY cooked and dehydrated lentils.
The 30 minute cooking lentils are raw and dried lentils. Like most dried beans found in supermarkets.
Everyone knows that Camellia Brand Red Kidney Beans require 14 hours soaking prior to several hours of cooking.
Wayne
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Another Kevin
07-29-2017, 21:16
Can you post your recipe? Looking online I see a popular one with about 25 unique ingredients. That's a nope.
http://www.trailcooking.com/one-pot-meals/mango-chicken-curry-lentils-rice/ is a good starting point. I tend to vary what goes in the curry, particularly if I'm cooking for just myself (since I can never find little pouches of chicken, and the 7-ounce is too much for me). I often can't find pre-made garam masala, but something like http://allrecipes.com/recipe/142967/easy-garam-masala/ works well. Add a piece of malabar leaf if you can find some, or a piece of bay leaf otherwise.
There are a lot of things to measure out at home, but on trail it's less complicated than it looks - boil up some water, put the rice and lentils in to rehydrate, and then make the curry by dumping a bag in the pot with some more water and cooking briefly. When the rice and lentils are ready, so is the curry.
I do concede that it's a little bit more effort than pouring boiling water into a bag of Mountain House, but I like real food...
Taste Adventure, I think is the brand, of Curry Lentil Soup I find in bulk bins. It's sold by the oz, lb, etc. No need to buy 10 lbs worth. Heat water. Throw it in the pot. Ready to eat in 3 mins. A little goes a long way. Heck 1 lb at about $6/lb nets me 4-5 dinners to which I add EVOO, instant brown rice, hemp seed, turmeric root, fresh ginger, dried mango, more curry, powdered full fat coconut milk, fresh green onion or colorful peppers, etc., Sprinkle with some dried parmesan cheese, pepitas or sunflower seeds.
It's an Organic product with an easily understood short ingredient list.
http://www.tasteadventure.com/product/bulk-organic-curry-lentil-soup/
http://www.foodfacts.com/ci/nutritionfacts/Other/Taste-Adventure-Curry-Lentil-Soup-48-oz/79642
Backpacking cooking tip:
Reverse the normal printed cooking instructions. Add dry ingredients to water in a pan. Bring to a boil. Remove from eat. Let stand. Eat. Bringing the water to a boil first wastes fuel.
Wayne
Lentils cook fast so buying pre-cooked lentils shouldn't be a high priority. There's nothing special in them anyways. Tasteless things... unless you smother them in whipped cream. Raw sprouts a better alternative
Anti-lentils
Anti- lentils? LOL
We might recognize lentils similarly as oats/oatmeal or brown rice being the carrier of greater whole. It's what we add to these staples that make them taste so great. Look at Another Kevin's lentil inspired recipe for example. At around 30 % of total calories being protein lentils are a good protein, fiber, and complex carb source. They pack densely and are relatively inexpensive. ;)
Taste Adventure, I think is the brand, of Curry Lentil Soup I find in bulk bins. It's sold by the oz, lb, etc. No need to buy 10 lbs worth. Heat water. Throw it in the pot. Ready to eat in 3 mins. A little goes a long way. Heck 1 lb at about $6/lb nets me 4-5 dinners to which I add EVOO, instant brown rice, hemp seed, turmeric root, fresh ginger, dried mango, more curry, powdered full fat coconut milk, fresh green onion or colorful peppers, etc., Sprinkle with some dried parmesan cheese, pepitas or sunflower seeds.
It's an Organic product with an easily understood short ingredient list.
http://www.tasteadventure.com/product/bulk-organic-curry-lentil-soup/
http://www.foodfacts.com/ci/nutritionfacts/Other/Taste-Adventure-Curry-Lentil-Soup-48-oz/79642
Perfect. Thank you. I very much appreciate the links.
Can uncooked lentils be freeze dried?
If they can what would be the weight saving?
Would it change the cooking time?
You can buy lentil flour that cooks quickly, and is basically a packet of lentils that has been pulverized and needs to be brought to the boil.
Another Kevin
07-31-2017, 15:47
Anti- lentils? LOL
We might recognize lentils similarly as oats/oatmeal or brown rice being the carrier of greater whole. It's what we add to these staples that make them taste so great. Look at Another Kevin's lentil inspired recipe for example. At around 30 % of total calories being protein lentils are a good protein, fiber, and complex carb source. They pack densely and are relatively inexpensive. ;)
For once Dogwood and I agree on something!
Note that lentils + brown rice is a great combination - there's a reason that it's the base for so much Indian cooking. The lentils are high in lysine, deficient in methionine. The brown rice is high in methionine, deficient in lysine. Together they make a complete protein. By the way, it's not necessary to get complete protein at a meal - our livers can store more than enough of any amino acid for a day's use, so complete protein over the course of the day is what you really want. The idea that they have to be at the same meal seems to have arisen out of whole cloth in Diet for a Small Planet. See also http://veganhealth.org/articles/protein - which concedes that actual data are quite sparse.
When hiking with my vegetarian daughter, I'm perfectly happy to leave out the chicken and throw in whatever dehydrated veggies sound good that day. If you put a splash of water in a plastic bag with the dehydrated veggies a couple of hours before dinnertime (and then hike on), they won't require long cooking to reconstitute. (I'll do the same thing with dehydrated cabbage, carrot, onion, green pepper but then not cook it further - it makes a nice trail coleslaw to add some crunch to my dry-sausage-and-cheese-in-a-tortilla lunches.)
Tree nuts (dried coconut, or cashews, or almonds, ...) or pepitas or sunflower seeds are another nice addition, as are other dried fruits besides the mangoes. Once you have the base down, the variations are endless.
For a weekender or short-sectioner, being Out There is no reason not to eat well. :)
Good post AK. Valid info.
FWIW, don't let my nitpicking about what I disagree or have yet to personally adopt or simply have a different approach take the focus off the vast majority of your posts that I whole heartedly agree and recognize equally valid. We are on the same page. :D
Quite amazing! Lentils brought the two of you closer together. Dare we discuss red beans and have romance lingering in the air
Quite amazing! Lentils brought the two of you closer together. Dare we discuss red beans and have romance lingering in the air
Red beans and rice make the world a better place.
Camellia red beans, andouille sausage and KONRICO Rice from New Iberia, LA make the world a perfect place.
Wayne
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