The Global Bean Recipe collection – Lentils

Jump to:

• Lentil Salad à la heldenküche – by Claudia
• Watermelon-Lentil-Pizza – by Cecilia
• Moong Dal – by Lopamudra
• Dalma – by Lopamudra
• Lentils Banana Bread – by Linsenlena
• Lentil Biscuits – by Linsenlena
• Lentil Soup – by Sabine
• Super anti inflammatory lentil salad – by Misaki
• Lentil croquettes – by Hubert

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Lentil Salad à la heldenküche – by Claudia

It is a flexible recipe and combines ingredients I love.

Ingredients:

Try to find regional and colourful ingredients

• 120g lentils
• 400g vegetables e.g. courgette, onion and pepper
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• chilli (optional)
• fresh herbs: e.g. mint and chives

Dressing:

• 4 tbsp vegetable oil e.g. rapeseed or olive, freshly pressed oil
• 2 tbsp sour e.g. vinegar or lemon or lime
• 1/2 tsp sweet e.g. honey
• salt

Instructions:

1. Make a nice atmosphere: a drink, something to snack, music, invite friends so that you can enjoy the cooking process.  
2. Start by washing your lentils: Give them into your pot and cover them with water. Take out any floating parts and stones.
3. Remove the washing water and give enough fresh water into your pot so that the lentils can double their size. Add salt and bring the water to a boil.  Try your cooking water: it should be nicely salted.  
4. Let the lentils cook with your lid on on small heat until they are soft. Pour out the water. Never let your pulses be al dente. Your belly will be thankful :).
5. Cut your veggies. Heat up your pan with oil and start to roast your onions. Once the onions are a little brownish add your other vegetables and roast them until you like the color. Give in salt and spices and stir in your veggie-mixture. Enjoy the beautiful smell. Try your veggies: Are they rich in taste? If not, add more salt and/or spices. 
6. Let the vegetables cool down.

Concept dressing = 2 units oil + 1 unit sour + sweet + salt + emulsifier

An emulsifier combines the oil and the sour liquid. Examples: mustard and honey.

7. Use your small bowl and whisk or a glass with a lid. Put in all the ingredients for the dressing and stir or shake until you have a homogenous mixture. Food prep tipp: make more dressing and store it in your fridge.
8. Cut your herbs. Save some uncut herbs for decoration.
9.  Magic moment: combine lentils, vegetables, dressing and herbs. If your salad is too dry add some liquid like oil and lemon juice.
10.  Additional ideas to go with the salad: nuts and seeds, halloumi fresh from the barbecue grill, fermented vegetables… See cooking as a creative process. Mix and match ingredients according to your region, the saison and your taste. 
11.  Serve your food with lots of love :).  

Guten Appetit

Bon Appétit

Smaklig måltid

Concept lentil salad = lentils + (roasted) vegetables + dressing + herbs

About me

I live out my enthusiasm in my daily work at markets, in cooking courses and at catering events. My cooking philosophy? Creating a pleasant atmosphere when the food not only tastes good but also tells a story and conjures up a lasting memory. She joined the Global Bean partners network in March 2022.

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Watermelon-Lentil-Pizza – by Cecilia

Ingredients for 2-3 servings

• 100 g black lentils
• 1/2 watermelon
• 1 small red onion
• optional: 200 g feta
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 stalks fresh mint
• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Boil the lentils in salted water for about 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, cut the red onion into fine rings. (If you are sensitive to raw onions, put the onion rings into water for about 30 min. This will make them more digestible and soften the taste.)
   Rinse, dry and chop the mint leaves.
3. Cut an even, round slice from the watermelon.
4. Mix the lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil and pour over the cooked, but still warm lentils. Leave to cool. 
5. Spread the lentils on the watermelon slice, crumble the feta over it and add the onion rings and mint. Cut the “pizza” into pieces.

About me

As pulses have many nutritional values, they are also incredibly versatile and delicious, though they are true underdogs in German kitchens, and this is what I would like to change. I am working with the Global Bean team to help internationally promote and expand the use and cultivation of legumes in our kitchens, gardens and fields.

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Moong Dal – by Lopamudra

Moong dal is the split version of whole mung beans also known as green gram(with or without skin). Yellow mung dal or yellow lentils is without skin and split green moong dal is with the skin. Except for the cooking time, using split mung dal is the same as using the whole green gram.

Moong dal is one of the most favoured lentils in the traditional Indian cuisine which is based on the age-old Ayurveda principles. According to Ayurveda, moong lentils are believed to be Tridoshic, meaning they are capable of balancing any disturbances in the body (vata,pitta and kapha). Hence moong dal is used to make dishes like Dal khichdi, sambar, stew, soups, salads, curry, stir fry and moong dal dosa.

Ingredients for 2 servings

CUP: 240 ML; TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN

• ½ cup moong dal (yellow mung lentils)
• 1 small onion
• 1 large tomato 
• ½ tsp cumin seeds or panch phoron ( (I use panch phutan/phoron-(It’s a whole spice blend, originating from the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent-​​All of the spices in panch phoron are seeds. Typically, panch phoron consists of fenugreek seed, nigella seed, cumin seed, black mustard seed and fennel seed in equal parts)
• ½ tsp mustard seeds 
• 1tsp peeled and finely chopped ginger
• 1 green chilly (deseed if you like that way)
• 1 tbsp ghee/ butter
• ⅘ curry leaves or 1 bay leaf
• ⅛ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 ¾ to 2 cups water
• 1 tsp spoon dried fenugreek leaves/ coriander leaves

Instructions:

Most Indian homes use a pressure cooker. This can be made as a one pot /cooker dish. All one needs to do is do the tempering first and then add the dal and water. Cover and pressure cook.

1. Soak the moong dal in water for 30 min before cooking to cut down the cook time, if cooking in a pot.
2. pour 1 tablespoon of oil into a pressure cooker or pot. When the oil becomes slightly hot, add cumin seeds. When the seeds plutter, add ginger, green chillies and 4 to 5 curry leaves/ 1 bay leaf.
3. Fry until the aroma comes out and add onions (optional). Saute them until a light pink colour is formed.
4. Then add tomatoes and salt. Saute for 1 to 2 mins. Stir in turmeric and saute for 1to 2 mins to bring out the flavours.
5.  Drain the water from the moong dal and add the lentils here. pour water and mix well to deglaze the bottom of the cooker or pot.
6. Cover and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles on a medium flame. If cooking in a pot, pour more hot water as required and cook uncovered until the lentils are soft.
7. When the pressure drops, open the lid and add kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves/coriander leaves. If you prefer you can mash the moong dal a bit.Taste test and add more salt if required. Add more water if the dal is thick. 

Moong dal is ready at this stage and you can serve it as is.

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Dalma – by Lopamudra

There are many variations of this curry depending upon the use of onion-garlic, different varieties of dals and vegetables. The version without onion-garlic is the preferred version in temples and during festivals. It is called as Habisha Dalma which is particularly prepared during the Kartik month of Hindu calendar in each and every household during that time. 

Instructions:

1. First wash and drain the moong dal (Yellow mung lentils). Keep aside.
2. Next in a pressure cooker heat ghee.
3. Put in red chilies, bay leaves and saute for 1 minute.
4. Then add cumin seeds and allow to crackle.
5. After that, put the drained moong dal along with all the cut vegetables, crushed ginger, salt and 2-3 cup water.
6. Mix everything using a spatula and cover the lid of the pressure cooker.
7. Cook for 1-2 whistles or till all the vegetables are done well.
8. Turn off heat.
9. Allow the steam to escape automatically and till then keep the pressure cooker aside.
10. Next sprinkle grated coconut and roasted cumin-red chilli powder and give a mix.
11. Serve hot with rice topped with ghee

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Lentils Banana Bread – by Linsenlena

Ingredients 

• 100 g dry red/yellow lentils.
• approx. 200 g bananas (2-3 bananas)
• approx. 100 g pitted dates
• 100 g ground almonds
• 40 g oat flakes (or buckwheat flour)
• approx. 1-2 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp salt
• season to taste with cloves, ginger, cardamom
• optional: walnuts, chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Soak the lentils in water for at least 4 hours (alternatively: boil the lentils). Then drain in a sieve.
2. Thoroughly blend the lentils, bananas, dates, salt and spices with a blender.
3. Fold the ground almonds and the oat flakes into the mixture.
4. Pour the batter into a cake tin.
5. Bake the cake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 20-30 minutes. The banana bread will set properly after one night in the fridge at most.

About me

Since then, no vegetable is safe from me! In the meantime, I bake my cakes almost exclusively from beans and lentils and thus satisfy my craving for sweets not only with less sugar, more protein and simply healthier, but also in a much more sustainable way.” Instagram//Website.

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Lentil Biscuits – by Linsenlena

Ingredients

• 100 g cooked red lentils
• 1 pinch of salt
• 60 g date sugar or xylitol
• 60 coconut oil
• 100 g ground almonds
• 50 g buckwheat flour

Filling

• Jam or pureed fruits with flaxseeds.
• Chocolate

Instructions

1. Blend the cooked lentils, salt, sweetener (e.g. date sugar or xylitol) and coconut oil with a blender to get a uniform paste.
2. Add the ground almonds and buckwheat flour and knead everything into a dough.
3. Shape the dough into small balls, flatten them and press a small hollow into them with your thumb.
4. Bake at 180 degrees for approx. 8-10 minutes. Leave the biscuits to cool.
5. Fill the hollow of the cooled biscuits with jam or melted chocolate and chill again.

About me

Since then, no vegetable is safe from me! In the meantime, I bake my cakes almost exclusively from beans and lentils and thus satisfy my craving for sweets not only with less sugar, more protein and simply healthier, but also in a much more sustainable way.  Instagram//Website.

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Lentil Soup – by Sabine

You can prepare this soup with ingredients from your pantry. When I do not have time to go to the supermarket, I like to prepare this soup.

Ingredients for 4 Servings

• 1 onion
• 1 large carrot
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp oil
• ½ tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 tbsp yellow curry powder
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 240 g crushed tomatoes or passata
• 0,7 l water
• 200 g red lentils
• 400 ml coconut milk (one can)
• 200 g frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cut onion in thin dices.
2. Grate the carrot and mince the garlic.
3. Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onions for 3 minutes.
4. Add carrot and ginger and fry for 2 more minutes.
5. Add garlic, curry powder and cumin.
6. Add the red lentils, water and tomatoes and let it boil for 15 minutes.
7. Add coconut milk and peas and let it boil for 10 more minutes.
8. Finish with adding salt and pepper to your own taste.

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Super anti inflammatory lentil salad –  by Misaki

Here is my information to share. I love pulses in general because, primarily, they are so rich in soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre steadies blood sugar levels and reduces the body’s ability to absorb excess fat. That helps people to lower LDL(“bad cholesterol”) too. Soluble fibres are powerful prebiotics (food for good bacteria), and can add bulk in our diet to satisfy us. Lentils are especially great because they get cooked fast so they are easy to incorporate and we will save energy. They are also full of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals just like other beans. And are one of those wonderfully versatile ingredients!

So I made this salad  combined with some other anti-inflammatory foods such as tomatoes (lycopene), Extra Virgin olive oil(polyphenols), and omega3-rich flax oil to balance the fat, red onion (flavonoid) and so on, bell pepper which is super rich in Vitamin C as well as  Beta carotin of carrot, and sulphur compounds in onion all promote the absorption iron from lentils (non-heme iron).

Ingredients 

• Pulses:Lentils 120g (dry)
• A pot of water with 2 bay leaves, 2 shallots, and a pinch of salt. 
• Vegetables: 400g in total
• cherry tomatoes
• beets(boiled) 
• bell pepper
• Cucumber
• red onion
• carrot

Dressing

Herbs in total 20g

• Shiso leaf ( Japanese basil) 
• Parsley

• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp flaxseed oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• ½ tsp sugar 
• ½ tsp dijon mustard
• Salt & black papper

About me:

I love pulses because they are the hope for humanity.

I am a nutritionist with a focus on plant-based nutrition. I teach cooking class and other nutrition based workshops, using pulses. Pulses are a great replacement of milk products where seeds are a great replacement of meat products. I love pulses because they are the hope for humanity. Pulses are consumed frequently in Japanese food culture, but nowadays majority of them are genetically modified soya beans, or azuki beans found in processed sweets. 

I am hoping to help introduce the use of a wider variety of other pulses.

Website(English)//Foodblog (Japanese)//Nutritional consultations (English)

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Lentil croquettes – by Hubert

Here is a recipe from Hubert Hohler from Slow Food’s Chef Alliance. He is also a chef at the Buchinger Wilhelmi fasting clinic.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 100 g lentils (Puy lentils work best)
• 200 ml water
• 1 bay leaf
• 50 g carrot, finely diced
• 50 g celery, finely diced
• 50 g leek, finely diced
• 50 g onions, finely diced
• 50 g tomato, diced
• 10 ml tamari (soy sauce)
• cumin, curry, pepper, grated lemon peel
• 30 g finely ground bread crumbs
• ½ egg
• 5 g whole grain spelt flour
• 5 g olive oil

Instructions

1. Cook the lentils together with the bay leaf until soft. There should be no liquid left.
2. Slightly fry the vegetables in a pan and add them to the boiled lentils. Season to taste with soy sauce, cumin, curry, pepper, lemon peel.
3. Form little burgers or balls. 
4. Mix the egg with the flour, dip the burgers (balls) inside and afterwards roll them into the bread crumbs. 
5. Set them onto a baking tray. And spray some olive oil onto the top.
6. Bake them for about ten minutes in a 160°C hot oven.