View Full Version : Lentils, anyone cook with them?
gold bond
02-07-2008, 11:11
I was watching a cooking show the other niight and they talked about Lentils and how they are full of protien and other things and was just wondering if anyone uses them and how they prepare them and what their favorite recipe with Lentils is.
Hikes in Rain
02-07-2008, 11:23
Yes, occasionally, but not while hiking. They take a good long while, and hour or more, to cook! They're a dried bean (I think), after all. Fuel and time constraints would probably make them impractical.
I don't know if you could pre-cook them and then dry them in a food dehydrator. That might cut down on prep time, if it's possible.
jersey joe
02-07-2008, 11:24
lentils w/ spinach and carrots and lots o salt.
Thoughtful Owl
02-07-2008, 11:28
I made Chili a few times using lentils as a meet subsitute or just an addative on camping trips. Cooks pretty quickly and very nutritious.
Alligator
02-07-2008, 11:55
This is about right, but from memory. It's something we cook very often from a cookbook.
1 medium onion
1-2 garlic cloves
2 carrots
2-3 stalks celery
olive oil
2/3 cup red lentils
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp marjoram
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 15 oz can diced or whole tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste. (I rarely add these to a recipe myself, preferring to do it at the table)
Chop the garlic and onions in a food processor, then shred the carrots and celery. You don't have to use a food processor, but it makes it quick and can all be done together in that order. Saute the vegetables in olive oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients and simmer covered until thick. Check the lentils, they should be soft. You may need an extra 1/2 cup of water, especially if the heat was too high. Serve over spaghetti.
I have dehydrated this recipe. It's somewhat difficult as it is sticky and I find it needs a lot of stirring. I've used rings and shells as the pasta when I have done this. Also, if dehydrating, add some extra marjoram, I found it was blander when I had dehydrated it.
If you take a look way down in the cooking section I know I have posted a couple lentil recipes for the trail. I love lentils! You can of course cook and dry them for instant lentils on the trail. I love lentil burritos!
Here you go:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28085
If you take a look way down in the cooking section I know I have posted a couple lentil recipes for the trail. I love lentils! You can of course cook and dry them for instant lentils on the trail. I love lentil burritos!
Yay Sabar- was hoping you would chime in. Love your recipes and links, thanks so much.
Pennsylvania Rose
02-07-2008, 12:34
I make lentils all the time at home. For trail use, you can do several things:
-put lentils in a wide mouth bottle at lunch and let them soak while you hike - rehydrated by dinnertime
-cook, then dehydrate at home
-grind lentils to a powder in your food processor at home, use like a powdered soup mix on the trail - creamy and filling
wtmntcaretaker
02-07-2008, 12:41
There are types of lentils that need NO soaking and take ten minutes to cook. Petite crimson Lentils and Harvest gold lentils. Both are delicious with veggies and curry.
I make lentils all the time at home. For trail use, you can do several things:
-put lentils in a wide mouth bottle at lunch and let them soak while you hike - rehydrated by dinnertime
-cook, then dehydrate at home
-grind lentils to a powder in your food processor at home, use like a powdered soup mix on the trail - creamy and filling
yup! ground beans are a big favorite of mine and pre-soaking while I hike is how I do beans as well.
There are types of lentils that need NO soaking and take ten minutes to cook. Petite crimson Lentils and Harvest gold lentils. Both are delicious with veggies and curry.Lentils are a great trail food because of how quick they cook!
saimyoji
02-07-2008, 20:45
Tried MountainHouse Lentil Curry once.....never again.
I buy inexpensive dehydrated lentils in bulk at places like Whole Foods/Wild Oats or health food stores. They are highly nutritious, low wt, and fast cooking(no need to soak or wait out long cook times)!!!I eat them by themselves(about 5 ozs. of dehydrated lentils makes a meal for this 200 lb hiker) or mix them with things like whole wheat cous cous, quinoa, or fast cooking brown rice(a little lentils and Lipton rice side make a good meal). Combine with things like a bit of pine nuts, dried tomatoes, dehydrated veggies, dried mint, dried garlic, or other dehydrated spices and BAM! there U have it folks!
Red lentils are actually yellow split peas often called masoor dal!
shelterbuilder
02-07-2008, 21:44
Try the yellow lentils - they do cook faster.
And try this recipe - an oldie, but a goodie:
2 parts rice (quick-cooking rice is okay)
1 part barley
1part lentils
your favorite flavor powdered gravy mix
your favorite dried/dehydrated vegetables, to taste
Combine the rice, barley and lentils together in a pot with enough water to cook AND reconstitute the gravy and vegetables (which will be added later). Bring water to a boil and cook grains until tender. Remove from heat but do not drain excess water. Add gravy mix and vegetables to taste stir thoroughly, and let sit for 12 - 15 minutes, or until vegetables have rehydrated and are tender. If all of the excess water has been absorbed, more hot water may be added until contents have the consistency of a thick stew.
The neat thing about this recipe is that, by changing the type of gravy mix and/or the vegetables, you change the taste of the meal, even though the grains stay the same! This recipe was from the time BEFORE cozy cooking, so Sarbar (or some of the other cozy-cookers) may want to add tips for using this as a cozy meal. (You can add meat to this meal, but you don't have to - the lentils provide lots of protein.)
Easy! Shelter builder, you could use the instant lentils from Harmony House Foods, or dry your own. Instant rice (or home dried) and you can also cook and dry barley.
I know it seems like a lot of work but all it takes is a couple hours to have a years worth of whole grains ready to go :) I am addicted to Jasmine rice and lentils now on the trail.
gold bond
02-08-2008, 12:29
I would like to thank everyone for all this great info. I am going to take the 'ol DA stove out this wekend and give as many of these as I can a shot!
I don't know why I was so intrigued by Lentils...I think it was the nutricinal value that hooked me. Tired of rice and cous cous too! Again, Thanks to all of you!!
Goldbond, if you want any more lentil recipes let me know, I can post them :) I am doing the near final editing of book 2 and I was shocked to see how many lentil recipes I had put in the new book :) I love lentils!
Pedaling Fool
02-08-2008, 16:04
On the trail I keep it simple, not much in the way of recipies. I use rice and lentils as my staple for dinner. I mix in while simmering beef/chicken jerky, dehydrated tomatoes, celery, carrots, spinach, broccoli, onions, potatoes, mushrooms and slice raw garlic. When I feel like spoiling my self I melt cheese on top. Makes a great stew.
Good long cooking food. Use wood.
There are lots of different kinds of lentils. The brown ones take almost as much cooking as beans. The red or yellow ones, or many of the other kinds cook quite quickly. I've cooked lentils and rice by the cosy method, overnight, because of the rice, not the lentils. But not the brown lentils. They require soaking and long cooking.
Also, lentils like spices. The staple Indian meal is lentils and rice, with various curry spices. Italians like them with garlic. Choose your favorites. For me, butter and Indian spices.
shelterbuilder
02-09-2008, 11:01
Goldbond, if you want any more lentil recipes let me know, I can post them :) I am doing the near final editing of book 2 and I was shocked to see how many lentil recipes I had put in the new book :) I love lentils!
sarbar, I'm curious - can you pre-soak lentils and other grains and legumes during the day to speed up the cooking process? Or do they HAVE to be cooked in hot water?
You can presoak them and it does cut a lot of cooking time if you do traditional cooking :)
gold bond
02-09-2008, 16:04
Goldbond, if you want any more lentil recipes let me know, I can post them :) I am doing the near final editing of book 2 and I was shocked to see how many lentil recipes I had put in the new book :) I love lentils!
Sarbar, Thanks so much that would be great. I have your first book and have used or tried most every recipe in there! I would highly recomend it to everyone the hikes. When your second book comes out I would love to buy a copy...autographed if possible! We have recomended and had your books available for purchase to all our scouts that backpack. Nothing but great reviews from the boys. Keep up the great work and I'm sure I speak for everyone in thanking you for all your advice.
That's IT! Now, look what has happened I'm hungry again! No need to soak lentils if U don't want to! Get the inexpensive equally nutritious dehydrated fast cooking kind (lower wt.) that are sold in bulk(U buy as much or as little as U want) that DON'T need soaking.
Even though lentils are naturally quick cooking (as are split peas) compare to say dried beans, I still prefer precooked and dehydrated lentils. That way there is no cooking involved at all on the trail - and you can soak them and make a salad as well with them :)
I buy mine online or dry them at home (personally though, the quality that Harmony House foods offers is worth buying them.).
Programbo
02-09-2008, 20:06
Oh gawd!..Lentils!...I didn`t bother to read all the replies but I am SURE someone has mentioned how they take forever to cook even on a good stove..I can`t imagine how long they`d take on one of those soda can stoves
Lentils are facinating for some reason. They are available in "instant" in bulk at several natural food stores. Historical note: Gideon Lindstrom used them for breakfast. He put a pot of water on the fire at nightfall with dried lentils and a handful of dried red pepper and some salt. By morning, it was ready. Sounds like a real eye opener.
I never thought of the salad angle Sabar. THANX!
lmcfarlin
02-09-2008, 20:59
Living in Turkey for a bit introduced me to the wonderful world of red lentil soups. My favorite recipe incorporates red lentils, bulgar wheat (or barley), brown rice and mint.
1 cup red lentils (I usually measure this out using a liquid measuring cup so I end up with a little more than my recipe calls for)
½ cup fine grain bulgar wheat (some I use barley if I am out of bulgar)
½ cup brown rice
A couple of chopped onions
A couple of minced garlic cloves
4 tbsp tomato paste (I use just under one of those little cans)
1 can of diced tomatoes (keep the juice!)
2-3 tsp paprika
2-3 tbsp dried mint (reserve about 2 tbsp for butter at the end)
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp butter
10 cups chicken stock
Salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne
Blender
Saute the onion in olive oil for a couple of minutes and then throw in the garlic for a bit. Add the diced tomatoes (and juice) and let it all soften (maybe 10 mins). Add the tomato paste and spices (paprika, 1 tbsp mint, cayenne, salt and pepper) and cook for a minute or two before adding the chicken stock, red lentils, rice and bulgar. Once everything is in the pot together, bring to a boil and then simmer until the grains are soft (usually takes a little under 30 mins). When everything is cooked, blend it to a moderately smooth consistency. (I tend to keep it somewhat chunky because of personal preference).
Put the butter in small pot and melt over medium heat until bubbling and frothy. Remove from heat, throw in the remaining mint and stir before pouring it back into the soup. Bring to just under a boil and serve.
This soup has an even better flavor when you squeeze some fresh lemon juice in the bowl.
I am going to be experimenting with dehydrator versions of this soup during the week, so let me know if you are interested in my findings.
That recipe would dry up nicely :) Yum!
Pennsylvania Rose
02-10-2008, 13:32
I have a degydrator, but use it mostly to dry fruits and veggies. How does one go about drying something as liquid as soup? Plastic wrap lining like with fruit leather? I always have issues doing leather...
PR, thick soups like lentils do well on parchment paper or plastic wrap. Once it gets to a solid mass, pop it off the paper and flip over so the back side dries up evenly.
budforester
02-10-2008, 20:22
I never thought of the salad angle Sabar. THANX!
Me too; thanks Sarbar! I did a cold- rehydrated ramen salad for lunch today and included 2 Tbsp lentils. It was great. You gonna have a cold- food chapter in the new book?
Me too; thanks Sarbar! I did a cold- rehydrated ramen salad for lunch today and included 2 Tbsp lentils. It was great. You gonna have a cold- food chapter in the new book?
Yes! Lots of salads and spreads for lunches :)
nightshaded
02-18-2008, 18:53
Yes, occasionally, but not while hiking. They take a good long while, and hour or more, to cook! They're a dried bean (I think), after all. Fuel and time constraints would probably make them impractical.
I don't know if you could pre-cook them and then dry them in a food dehydrator. That might cut down on prep time, if it's possible.
yes, you can....season and cook the lentils, they dry out fairly quickly in a dehydrator. also, with any dryed (raw) beans/legumes, you can cut down the cook-time by soaking them in a waterbottle during the day...by the time you get to camp, the beans should be thoroughly saturated, and should take about 15 min. to cook.