Pre-Cooked Lentils

Lentils… High in protein, low calorie and delicious (well, when cooked properly anyway!). These little blighters are used in traditional Indian cooking more so than in BIR style cooking.

The most famous of dishes containing lentils is Dhal, which is primarily a lentil based dish, however they also feature in Dhansak as well as a couple of other dishes. 

Here I am going to show you a real easy way to prepare and cook your lentils ready to use when you need them. They will keep in the fridge in an air tight container or you can freeze them to use at a later date.

A saucepan containing pre-cooked lentils for use in a BIR style curry

Pre-Cooked Lentil Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 2 tbsp Garlic and Ginger Paste
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 100g Red Split Lentils
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 400mL Water

Method

Add the Vegetable Oil to a pan on a medium heat. Fry the Garlic and Ginger Paste for 1 minute. Then, add the Turmeric Powder and fry for another 30 seconds or so stirring it in well. Add the Salt, Lentils (ensure these are washed thoroughly before adding) and Water. 

Mix it all together and then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and allow to cook for around 25 minutes or until the Lentils are soft and mushy. Add a bit more water if needed while cooking. Not too much as you don’t want to have the final product too runny however some wetness is absolutely fine.