Follow the Red Dots

This bright, buoyant legume has created its own legacy (Ingredient Special on Red Lentils).

Legumes are a type of food that tends to divide the crowd. On the pro side, they contain plant-based protein. Which is good and obviously needed by our body to repair itself. On the downside, they tend to, well… you know what I mean.

But I found that these little red guys are better than their family image, because they are refreshingly easy to handle. No soaking, short cooking time, not so much … (hot air). Plus, I think they look kind of cute. Like little red dots.

I started using them because all the other lentils had failed us (‘the problem’, you know). So one day I just went with the red dots and was amazed. Now I just put some of them in soups or use them as a replacement for soy products in plant-based versions of classic minced meat dishes (see the recipe for this ingredient special [Pasta Bolognova]). Sure, you still probably want to avoid eating a whole bowl of them, but in reasonable amounts they are a pretty good addition to your plant-based protein intake – especially if you combine them with other protein sources like whole grain spaghetti (whole grain spelt spaghetti is delicious).

Well, I see I forgot to mention why I started cooking with lentils in the first place. They are on one of the charts we have posted on our kitchen wall. It says ‘iron-rich foods’. Which they are. Depending on who’s measuring, the numbers range from equal to that legendary source of iron, spinach, to beyond. There are also traces of vitamin Bs (B1 – thiamin, B2 – riboflavin, B6 – pyridoxine). So we are talking about energy, nerves, brain, immune system and much more. If you do not eat meat, you have probably read an article or two about the importance of proper B vitamin intake.

As I am such a big fan of those little red buttons, and I was curious, I also went ‘deep into the archives’ to find out what our grand folks had to say about red lentils. I might have mentioned that I have a small collection of cookbooks and the like. And I turned to one from the 60s of the last century – undertitled ‘A Household Book for Young Girls’ (yeah, I know…), but among other interesting facts it already had the protein content, the iron and even the vitamin Bs on the chart. It also mentioned that the proteins are relatively cheap to buy, but need to be combined with other protein sources to work best (wow, not bad!). The (official) school textbook also pointed out that lentils need some care when stored (keep cool and dry, check from time to time).

More information on legumes in general from two other books included the precaution of sorting lentils and rinsing them before cooking (which is standard). I tried very hard to find bad lentils or other production residue in our red lentils, which are oiled by the way, but could not find any. So I guess there could be quality differences (check the package, if there is too much that does not look like red lentils, maybe change the brand).

So what I am trying to say here is: If you are thinking about “going lentil,” these little bright pellets are the ones to follow.

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Side Notes

• Another fairly easy legume to use (usually also comes dried) is yellow peas. I used them in the recipe for the Grain Roast in last year’s ‘Festive Menu’ [Festive Menu 24, main course]. And of course in the legendary ‘Phantom Bearlings’ (recipe with the ingredient special on bear’s garlic [Who’s Seen the Bear]. By the way, all legumes must be cooked to be edible. Do not eat them raw.