Lentil side dish recipe. How long should you cook green lentils?

Lentils, once popular in Rus', completely undeservedly lost their glory with the advent of potatoes. But in terms of beneficial and nutritional properties, this variety of legumes can even replace meat. A properly prepared lentil side dish is not only healthy, but also a very tasty dish.

There are three types of lentils, each of which we will prepare as a side dish in our recipes today and tell you how to make the dish incredibly tasty and aromatic.

How to cook lentils for a side dish?

Ingredients:

• brown lentils – 200 g;
• purified water – 450 ml;
• onion – 85 g;
• carrots – 85 g;
• refined vegetable oil;
• salt - to taste.

Preparation

Wash the lentils thoroughly, brew with boiling water and leave for one hour. Then fill it with new water, add a little salt, put it on the fire and keep it under the lid at a slow boil for fifteen to twenty-five minutes.

While the lentils are cooking, prepare the roasted vegetables. To do this, we clean, chop the onion, put it in a frying pan with heated refined vegetable oil and sauté for five minutes. Next, add the carrots, peeled and grated on a medium grater, and fry the vegetables together for the same amount of time.

When ready, drain the remaining water from the lentils, place it in a colander, let it drain, and mix it with the fried vegetables. The brown lentil side dish is ready and ready to serve.

Red lentil side dish

Ingredients:

• red lentils – 160 g;
• or meat – 120 ml;
• fresh tomatoes – 220 g;
• carrots – 90 g;
• onion – 90 g;
• garlic – 1-2 cloves;
• vegetable oil – 35 ml;
• thyme sprigs – 2 pcs.;
• ground black pepper - to taste;
• ground red paprika - to taste;
• - taste;
• ground chili pepper - to taste;
• salt - to taste.

Preparation

Saute onion half rings and thin carrot strips in refined oil until golden, stirring. Wash the red lentils and soak them in water for five minutes. We wash the tomatoes, make cross-shaped cuts on top, immerse them in boiling water for a couple of minutes, remove the skin, and cut the pulp into small cubes. Add chopped tomatoes to the sautéed vegetables, simmer for three minutes, stirring, add red lentils, pour in the broth, season the mixture with salt and simmer over moderate heat for another couple of minutes. Now add the previously peeled and squeezed garlic, thyme (leaves only), turmeric, ground paprika, chili pepper and ground black pepper, mix and simmer for another seven minutes or until the lentil grains are soft.

You can similarly prepare a side dish of green lentils by increasing the amount of broth to five hundred milliliters. The cooking time for this variety is longer than the previous one, so let’s keep the dish on the fire for twenty-five to thirty minutes longer.

How to properly cook lentils for a side dish in a slow cooker?

Ingredients:

Preparation

Fry the peeled and crushed garlic in a multi-pan in the “Baking” mode in vegetable oil until browned, then take it out and throw it away. Place chopped onions, carrots, and bell peppers in a bowl with garlic oil, sauté the vegetables until soft, add washed lentils, add water, switch the appliance to the “Buckwheat” mode and cook until the end of the program.

If you don't know how to cook lentils, now is the time to learn. This is not difficult to do if you follow some rules.

Before you start cooking, rinse the lentils well under cold water and remove any debris from them. Unlike other legumes, it does not need to be soaked. It is recommended to add salt at the very end. If you do not want problems with digestion, then you need to put the lentils in a saucepan in already boiling water.

How long does it take to cook?

Cooking a dish always takes a different amount of time. In order to decide how long to cook lentils without soaking, you need to determine the variety. So, for example, you will have to spend only 10 minutes on the red variety, 30 on the green variety, and the brown one will be ready only after 40 minutes. Sometimes it is recommended to soak this variety, but this is worth doing only if you want to reduce the cooking time.

The ratio of lentils and water during cooking

The ideal proportion for cooking is 1:2, as for most porridges. That is, for one glass of dry lentils you will need two glasses of water and so on: for two glasses of lentils there are already four servings of water. It is advisable to strictly observe this, otherwise the result will not be what you expect: the grains will be hard or, on the contrary, too boiled.

Ingredients:

• Lentils - one glass;
• Onion and carrot;
• Salt to taste;
• A little vegetable oil;
• Two glasses of water.

Cooking process:

1. Start by washing the lentils. Do this carefully.
2. Next, put the water on the fire and bring to a boil. Now you need to salt the future dish and add lentils to the dishes.
3. Bring until ready. While cooking is in progress, prepare the onions and carrots - fry the chopped vegetables with a small amount of vegetable oil.
4. Drain the water from the finished lentils and add them to the vegetables, mix everything. Now you know how to cook lentils as a side dish.

How to properly cook lentils in a slow cooker

Cooking in a slow cooker is always faster and easier, especially when it comes to lentils. As a result, the grains are soft and tasty.

Required Products:

• A glass of lentils, preferably green;
• Water in proportion – 2 glasses;
• One carrot and onion;
• Salt and other seasonings at your discretion.

How to cook:

1. Prepare vegetables using a slow cooker. Grind them and fry in the “frying” mode.
2. Next, add the washed lentils to the vegetables and cover with hot water. Add your chosen spices.
3. Turn on the “stew” mode and cook the dish for about 30 minutes. Salt the culture only five minutes before the end of cooking.

For a brighter taste, you can add adjika.

Features of cooking red, black, green and yellow lentils

If you want delicious lentil porridge, then it is best to buy green or brown lentils. Then it will not boil and will turn out in the form of grains. The red or orange variety is perfect for soups and stews.

When preparing a dish from red lentils, some advise adding salt and spices at the beginning, and not at the end, as is usually done with other varieties. The best seasonings are red pepper, curry, cumin.

Black lentils are ideal for salads with the addition of pepper, oil and hot spices.

Do not mix different varieties with each other, as the cooking time and result are different.

How to cook lentil porridge?

Lentil porridge is a good, filling dish for both breakfast and lunch. It's easy to prepare if you have all the ingredients.

Ingredients:

• Lentil grains of a suitable variety;
• Water according to proportion;
• Carrots and onions – one each;
• Salt and other seasonings;
• Garlic clove;
• A little olive oil.

Cooking process:

1. You need to start preparing porridge, of course, by preparing the cereal. To do this, you need to rinse it thoroughly under cold water, and it is better to do this several times. So that it is clean and free of debris.
2. Next, prepare a pan, place the lentils there and fill it with water. The amount of water is determined based on how much cereal you took. For one glass of dry product - two glasses of liquid.
3. Wait until it boils and turn the heat down a little.
4. While the cereal is boiling, you need to prepare the vegetables. This is done simply: chop them and fry them a little in a frying pan, adding literally one teaspoon of olive oil.
5. Add the cooked vegetables to the porridge, reduce the heat to almost minimum.
6. Now you can add salt and mix.
7. It takes an average of 30 minutes to prepare the dish, but the exact time depends on the variety you took. The grains must be boiled.
8. When everything is almost ready, squeeze in the garlic and pepper.

Puree recipe

Lentil puree is an excellent option for a hearty lunch with an interesting taste. The red variety is best suited for cooking; you can also take the green one, but then the cooking time will be a little longer.

For the dish you will need:

• Red lentil variety – approximately 70 grams;
• Onions and carrots - 1 piece each;
• Greens to taste;
• Water – about 200 ml;
• Butter – 15 grams.

Cooking process:

1. You need to start preparing the puree by preparing the vegetables - chop them.
2. Carefully choose the utensils for this dish. Something with a thick bottom is best.
3. Place the selected container on the stove and put the oil in it. Wait until it melts and then add vegetables. Fry them lightly over low heat.
4. Add washed and peeled lentils to the rest of the ingredients, mix everything.
5. Now pour in the water, wait until everything boils and add salt. All that remains is to wait until the dish is cooked. This will take approximately 20 minutes.
6. Using a blender and masher, puree the porridge, put it back into the pan and bring to a boil. After this, the dish can be served.

Soup recipe

Lentil soup is a savory dish with such an unusual taste for us, because this culture rarely appears on our table.

Required Products:

• Red lentils - one glass;
• Salt, herbs, pepper - to your taste;
• One onion and carrot;
• Several potatoes;
• Vegetable oil - three tablespoons;
• Water or ready-made broth - about 2.5 liters.

How to cook:

1. Regardless of what you cook with - broth or water, it will have to be brought to a boil. The pan must be at least three liters.
2. While the pot is boiling, prepare the lentils - rinse them so that the water is clear and there is no debris.
3. Set aside the crops and get on with the vegetables. They need to be finely chopped and the potatoes cut into small pieces.
4. Add oil to a hot frying pan, and then the prepared vegetables, except potatoes. Bring them to a golden color. This usually takes no more than three minutes.
5. When the water boils, add potatoes, cereals and fried vegetables to the pan. Bring it all back to a boil. Please note that you need to remove the foam, and the fire must be very low, otherwise the cereal will not have time to cook, and the water will run out.
6. You need to cook until the lentils and potatoes are ready. Average time – 20 minutes.
7. When the dish is almost ready, you can add spices and salt. Also, do not forget to cut the greens for a bright taste and aroma. You can add olives and squeeze a little lemon juice.

Healthy and satisfying lentils cook quite quickly. It is ideal as a side dish in both summer and winter. Warming, nutritious, incredibly tasty and versatile! These beans go well with vegetables, which is why vegetarians love them. But they can be served with both fish and meat.

How to cook lentils for a side dish

How to cook:

How to deliciously cook green lentils with vegetables

It will take 1 hour to prepare.

How many calories - 157.

How to cook:

1. Wash the beans, cover them with water and boil until almost done. You need to cook under the lid ajar for about half an hour, keep the heat low.
2. Remove the husks from the bulbs and chop them into thin feathers.
3. Chop carrots without peel into strips.
4. Pour olive oil into the pan and heat it, then add the onion and cook for three minutes.
5. Add chopped carrots and cook for another five minutes.
6. Peel and wash all the vegetables, and then chop them into strips larger than carrots.
7. Transfer to the pan and simmer for another twenty minutes.
8. Finely chop the garlic and stir it into the vegetables, season.
9. Next, add the prepared lentils and cook for another ten minutes, stirring from time to time.
10. Serve with chopped parsley.

How to cook red lentils with onions

It will take 45 minutes to prepare.

How many calories – 216.

How to cook:

1. Clean the beans and then rinse them.
2. Boil water in a small saucepan and add the beans. There must be twice as much water.
3. Cook over low heat, covered, for about twenty minutes.
4. At this time, you need to grate the peeled carrots, using a coarse grater.
5. Finely chop the garlic and onion without peeling.
6. Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the vegetables. To get a more tender dish, you should use a ceramic frying pan.
7. Fry until soft for four minutes and then stir in the spices and tomato paste.
8. Stir the prepared beans into the soft vegetables, add the garlic. You can add a little water.
9. Simmer covered for another five minutes.
10. Let it sit for fifteen minutes before serving.

Recipe for a side dish with champignons

It will take 25 minutes to prepare.

How many calories - 93.

How to cook:

1. Coarsely grate the carrots without peel.
2. Chop the onion into feathers.
3. Cut the cleaned mushrooms into slices, not too thin.
4. Fry carrots and onions in hot olive oil for 2-3 minutes.
5. Add the mushrooms and cook for another seven minutes. There is no need to stir often.
6. Wash the beans and add them to the pan, stir.
7. Pour the specified amount of boiling water. Season. Cover with a lid and cook for fifteen minutes.
8. When the water completely disappears, you need to add chopped garlic to the products. You can also add greens.
9. Leave for five minutes and then serve.

How to cook in cream sauce

How many calories - 179.

How to cook:

1. Pour approximately 800 ml of water over the washed beans. Place on the fire and after boiling, cook for approximately fifteen minutes.
2. Place the lentils in a sieve or colander; save about a glass of the broth, it will be useful later.
3. Chop the peeled onions into large cubes.
4. Cut the carrots without peel into small cubes.
5. Both of these products need to be fried in a small amount of sunflower oil.
6. Cut the peeled garlic in half.
7. Add lentils and the reserved broth to the softened vegetables. Stir and season, add garlic.
8. Finely chop the dill and add it here.
9. Next, add a little butter and simmer for five minutes.
10. Shake the cream and pour it in, give it time to soak the beans.
11. Stir and serve.

Lentil side dish in creamy tomato sauce

It will take 35 minutes to prepare.

How many calories - 127.

How to cook:

1. Boil beans according to package instructions. They must first be sorted out.
2. Chop the shallot into thin rings. You also need to chop the garlic.
3. Mix both types of oil in a frying pan and heat, then add the shallots with garlic and fry a little.
4. Peel the ginger and finely grate it or blend it with a blender.
5. Add tomato puree and ginger to the sautéed onions, stir and let it boil.
6. After this, place the prepared beans here and season.
7. Pour in the whipped cream and stir.
8. Let it boil, then add all the finely chopped greens.
9. Stir and immediately remove from heat and place on plates. Can be served as a separate dish.

Cooking tricks

Quite original ingredients are often added to lentils: fried bacon, white wine, cucumbers, olives, mustard, mint, sesame paste, etc. Sometimes beans are even wrapped in pita bread and served as rolls, added to soups, casseroles, and pies. Oriental sauces, such as soy or teriyaki, are often added to it. All this can be supplemented with the standard side dish from the first recipe.

Beans are quite difficult for the body to digest, so it is better to eat them for lunch. People with digestive problems should soak the lentils for several hours, or better yet, overnight, before cooking. After this, cook as usual. While soaking, you should leave the beans in a warm place.

In order for the product to be better absorbed, it is worth using the following spices: ginger, turmeric, coriander, asafoetida, ground black pepper.

Tender lentils are an excellent source of protein. It cooks faster than beans or peas, has an excellent taste and is easily combined with different foods. It’s worth trying to cook this and include it in your diet forever!

There is nothing complicated about how to cook green lentils. All you need to do is wash it or skip this step, remove the foam or not, and decide whether you have an extra hour of time or not.

If you read professional online cooks, you get just such a vague impression. Some housewives spend half an hour washing the cereal in 100 waters, others say that this can be skipped. Still others soak the legumes altogether. What to do?

Fortunately, all these problems are caused by the fact that people massively confuse green and brown lentils and make their task as difficult as possible by using a regular saucepan instead of a slow cooker. Yes, in the modern world there are no problems with cooking legumes and there cannot be.

Composition and benefits of green lentils

Green cereals are the most “natural and organic” of all. It is characterized by minimal industrial processing, cooks quite quickly thanks to small grains and provides our body with proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Compared to other legumes, this product allows you to cope with cooking much faster and enjoy a delicious soup or a hearty second meal within an hour after opening the bag of cereal.

The beneficial properties of lentils are due to its composition:

1. The natural grain shells of legumes contain large amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber. It cleanses the intestines, helps proper digestion, improves the state of gastrointestinal flora, and helps the absorption of water-soluble vitamins and minerals. Fiber is the key to a healthy, moderate appetite, therefore it is recommended for those losing weight. It is an important component of the diet of pregnant women, children and the elderly.
2. Complex carbohydrates - 2/3 of the calorie content of this cereal. They give people energy for physical and mental work and help burn fat. Complex carbohydrates take part in metabolism, breaking down into simple ones, and this is a rather long process, which means that dishes with them are much more satiating than the usual buns and chocolates. A serving of lentil porridge will keep you from feeling hungry for about 4 hours.
3. Plant proteins in green lentils provide us with amino acids for building muscles, restoring immunity and regenerating skin. Such proteins do not contain the full composition of amino acids and therefore require supplementation. You can get all the benefits from lentils by supplementing them with lean meat in your diet. Vegetarians are advised to cook lentils with brown rice to get more healthy amino acids.
4. The B vitamins in green lentils keep our nervous system healthy, promote proper metabolism of carbohydrates and fats, and make it easier to tolerate calorie-deficient diets.

In addition, the cereal contains selenium, iron, zinc and magnesium. These microelements promote healthy hormonal and nervous systems and help maintain a healthy weight despite age-related changes.

Important: this dish is not recommended for people during periods of exacerbation of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys and liver, as well as for those who have an individual intolerance to legumes. In the diets of the Soviet school of nutrition, it is also prohibited for people with cardiovascular diseases and high blood pressure, as it can contribute to abnormally active gas formation.

How to cook lentils correctly

The rules for cooking green lentils are quite simple. It can be soaked for 4-12 hours if the goal is to prepare puree soup, pasta or a dish for a person suffering from increased gas formation.

Soaking allows you to soften the texture of the dish and boil the grains quite quickly. But you shouldn’t think that lentils contain some harmful substances that need to be “washed out with water,” as some housewives write. The product is a completely natural cereal; normally it does not contain toxins, as, for example, in wild mushrooms, therefore it is not worth soaking it “to remove poison”.

Legumes are cooked as follows;

• in a regular saucepan - for 40-50 minutes, lowering it into boiling water if you need a side dish with grains, and into cold water if the puree is soft;
• in a multicooker - in stewing mode for 1 to 1.2 hours, it depends on the multicooker mode. Usually the miracle stove finishes in an hour;
• in a microwave oven - placed in cold water in a plastic container with a regular lid with a valve for cooking in a microwave oven, the process takes about 40 minutes at a power of 600 W;
• in a double boiler - from an hour or more, in a rice cooker with holes.

You can, of course, cook the cereal in baking pots in an oven or electric oven, but this can take up to 2 hours, as they say, a method for fans of long cooking.

There are also completely exotic methods. Take a thermos with a strong glass flask, pour in a glass of legumes, pour 2 cups of boiling water and leave for 8-12 hours. When the time is up, transfer the product to a microwave-safe pan and heat at 600 W for 8-12 minutes with a little water.

Selection and proper storage

How to choose and store groceries correctly? High-quality cereals can be purchased both in the supermarket and at the market. You should choose one that has a homogeneous composition, is devoid of inclusions of other grains, black grains and does not contain pebbles, sand and other debris. The price of high-quality lentils is moderately high, it cannot be less than 50-60 rubles and is usually equal to the cost of inexpensive brands of brown rice.

The following instructions will help you cook lentils correctly:

• We take water in a ratio of 2 to 1 for the side dish and 3-4 to 1 for the soup;
• boil it in a saucepan with high sides or walls;
• pour lentils into boiling water, after washing them and removing stones and debris;
• stir, salt, cook until tender;
• the process takes from 20 to 50 minutes depending on the power of the heater;
• During the cooking process, skim off the foam a couple of times.

Cooking correctly

The main rule for cooking lentils is one thing - you don’t need to mash them if you’re preparing a side dish or a classic soup. Whether to soak or not, everyone decides for themselves, depending on the state of their gastrointestinal tract.

Garnish

For a side dish, choose lentils with small, even grains. Cooking is simple - the cereal is poured into boiling water, cooked for 10-12 minutes with the lid moved so that steam comes out, then the same amount with the lid open, then you need to evaluate the readiness to taste, if necessary, add water and cook until fully cooked.

Soups

Cooking lentils for soup differs only in that they are taken in smaller quantities. Puree soups are prepared from about a glass of green lentils and require the product to be completely boiled to a paste.

Cooking in a slow cooker

This method of cooking lentils is good for those who do not like to bother with clearing the grains from foam and other similar manipulations. It is enough to pour the beans in a bowl with plain water and cook for 1-1.2 hours in the “Stew” or “Soup” mode; the specific mode depends on the multicooker model.

Cooking recipes

Bean cutlets with mushrooms

• legumes - 1 cup;
• letter - 1 piece;
• chopped champignons - 200 g;
• oil for frying;
• wheat flour - 1-2 tablespoons;
• chicken egg - 1 piece.

Boil the legumes into puree. Place the amount indicated in the recipe in 2-3 glasses of cold water, cook over medium heat until the lentils soften. Beat in the egg with flour, mince the mushrooms and onions, combine everything with the lentils, and beat with a blender if necessary. Form cutlets with wet hands and fry on both sides in oil until cooked.

Lentil soup with chicken

• carrots - 1 pc.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• lentils - 100 g;
• chicken breast with skin and bones - 1 pc.;
• potatoes (optional) - 1 pc.

Place the chicken breast in cold water and cook until tender. Remove the meat, discard the bones and skin, cut the flesh into cubes and reserve. Boil the broth, add lentils, boil until soft, add vegetables, cook for another 10-12 minutes, leave covered.

Vegan Bolognese

• pasta - 400 g;
• lentils - 200 g;
• tomato - 2 pcs.;
• basil - 1 bunch;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• olive oil - 25 g.

Boil the pasta in water al dente. For 400 g of pasta, take about 3 liters of water, cook, discard in a colander, rinse with water, add a drop of oil to prevent them from sticking. Boil the lentils separately until pureed according to the rules indicated above. Heat oil in a frying pan, add chopped vegetables, sauté until soft, add lentils, stir and cook until the puree is smooth. Then combine the dressing with the pasta. If desired, you can add garlic and other spices.

Stew with chicken and vegetables

• green lentils - 1 cup;
• chicken breast without bones and skin - 200 g;
• carrots - 1 piece;
• onion - 1 piece;
• olive oil - 25 g;
• pilaf seasoning mixture - 5 g

Set the multicooker to frying mode, pour oil into the bowl, fry chopped onions and carrots with seasonings. Add chicken, lentils, add 2.5 liters of water or broth (optional) and turn the multicooker to stewing or soup mode. The cooking process will take about an hour.
Video recipe for this vegetarian chicken stew:

Dietary dishes made from green lentils can complement any table. Whether or not to soak the cereal and what to do with it after cooking is up to each person to decide for themselves. Do not be afraid of the fact that the gastrointestinal tract will take some time to adapt to legumes. You should prepare your first dishes from soaked lentils. Over time, digestion will adapt, and then you can move on to simpler cooking methods. Health organizations recommend including lentils in your diet no more than 2-3 times a week.

In contact with

Healthy eating, by definition, cannot be monotonous. Even the healthiest natural products cannot alone satisfy the body's needs for all proteins, fats and carbohydrates. And if you also care about vitamins and minerals, you will have to come up with a new menu every day so as not to lack nutrients. This would be very useful, but it is practically impossible. In reality, most of us only have time to vary a few common ingredients. If you don’t want to put up with this state of affairs, start introducing new foods into your diet. You can start with simple dishes: for example, cook lentils as a side dish.

You don’t often see lentils on the table of our compatriots, but in Eastern countries this legume is very popular. We are more accustomed to peas and beans, although lentils have a number of advantages over them.

Firstly, lentils do not need to be soaked in water before cooking. This procedure will not harm the cereal, but even without it, lentils cook quickly. Secondly, lentil protein is qualitatively different from the protein of other plants and contains almost all amino acids. This is especially true for people who, for whatever reason, avoid eating meat.

Beans, peas and soybeans lag significantly behind lentils in iron content. It also contains a lot of B vitamins traditional for legumes. Microelements are represented by zinc, manganese, potassium, manganese and phosphorus. And, of course, pectin and fiber, thanks to which the intestines and the entire digestive system work well. Regular consumption of lentils has a beneficial effect on skin condition, blood composition and maintaining a high level of immunity. All this should convince you to try lentils prepared according to one of the simple recipes.

Lentil recipes

1. A simple lentil side dish. This cereal completely retains its shape when cooked. Especially the green one, while the red one is more boiled, and the dish turns out softer. The approximate cooking time for green lentils is 40 minutes, red lentils - 30 minutes, brown lentils - 25 minutes. The proportional ratio with water is 1:2. Cook over low heat, add salt 5 minutes before readiness.
   
2. Lentils with vegetables. It takes longer to prepare, but it is in this combination that nutritionists recommend consuming it. For 1 cup of lentils, take 2 medium-sized carrots, 1 onion and 2 tomatoes. If there are no fresh tomatoes, two tablespoons of tomato paste will replace them. In addition, you will need dill (half a bunch is enough), 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil (preferably olive, but sunflower can be used), 1 teaspoon of coriander. Pepper and salt - a pinch, to your taste.

   Let the lentils cook. At this time, take care of the vegetables: wash everything, grate the carrots, cut the onions, tomatoes and herbs. Fry the onion in oil in a frying pan for 5 minutes, then add the remaining vegetables for another 5 minutes. By this time your lentils should be cooked. Drain the water and place it in the pan with the vegetables. Send dill, coriander, and pepper here. Add salt and stir. After 5 minutes covered over low heat, your lentils and vegetables are ready.
   

3. Lentils with pasta. This recipe will certainly come in handy if you need to feed a hungry man. Cooked in this combination, lentils become not only tasty, but also a very nutritious side dish. Take equal parts of lentils and pasta and cook in two different pans. Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients: 3 onions, 3 large tomatoes, 1 clove of garlic, 6 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Traditional pepper and salt, as well as cumin, turmeric, ground coriander - optional.

   Heat a spoonful of oil in a deep frying pan or saucepan and fry the coriander with cumin. Almost immediately add the lentils and stir. You can turn off the heat, cover with a lid and set aside temporarily. In another frying pan, fry the thinly sliced ​​onion in 4 tablespoons of oil. As soon as it starts to turn brown, add and mix 1 tablespoon of sugar with the onion. Now your task is to bring the onion to a golden color and a dry, crispy state. As soon as you get the desired condition, place the caramelized onions on a napkin to drain off excess oil.

   In a third pan, fry the chopped garlic and turmeric in the remaining oil. Add diced tomatoes here (can be replaced with 4-5 tablespoons of natural tomato paste). Stir this sauce with a spatula and let it simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. When it thickens, turn it off.

   Let’s start “assembling” our complex dish. Place lentils in a bowl with pasta, and tomato sauce on it. Golden onions will be the top layer, but you can sprinkle them with fresh herbs if desired.
   

4. Ginger lentils in cream. This aromatic side dish for meat or fish will be appropriate even at the holiday table. Although it’s not difficult to prepare: just like last time, start cooking the cereal. Until it becomes soft, prepare the remaining ingredients: for 200 g of lentils, 50 g of butter and 100 ml of heavy cream. Tomatoes and onions - 2 pieces each. 3 cloves of garlic, a piece of ginger no larger than a finger. A teaspoon each of salt, turmeric and curry.

   Thinly chop the onion and garlic, grate the ginger. Fry everything together until golden brown in butter. Cut the tomatoes into cubes and simmer together with spices for 5-7 minutes. Now it's time for cream, curry and turmeric. Add all this to the pan, turn the heat down to low and simmer covered for about 3 minutes. Add the prepared lentils, stir and remove from the stove.
   

These are just a few side dishes, while lentils also make very tasty soups, salads and even cutlets. In a word, just a godsend for everyone who adheres to a vegetarian, lenten or other dietary diet!