In the Old Testament, it tells how the elder brother handed over to the younger the reins of government in the family for a mess of pottage. The old books collected the wisdom of the centuries, for the edification of future generations, which means that, firstly, lentil dishes were popular even in the pre-Christian period, and secondly, the question arises: why did the biblical hero appreciate the lentil soup so highly, is the lentil mentioned in the book of Wisdom, or is it also a hint to humanity?
The European part of the population of the planet is rediscovering the leguminous product, and the peoples of Asia and the East, as representatives of the most ancient cultures, continue to use lentils as one of the main and valuable sources of food. Modern research methods allow you to know exactly what is valuable lentils, and how it should be cooked and eaten.
Lentil soup purée - basic technological principles
On the valuable vitamin and mineral composition of lentils - a little later, at the end of the article, and on the technology of cooking lentil soups, first and foremost and most importantly: when cooking lentils in water or broth, more than half of the beneficial substances contained in the beans turn into liquid . Therefore, the lentil soup is so valuable, and this technological feature must be remembered in the process of cooking.
Unlike the usual beans - peas and beans, lentils boil soft for fifteen minutes, so it does not require a long soak. At the preparatory stage, the lentil only needs to be carefully selected. Its grains are smaller, which is inconvenient when sorting. The lentil is dipped in cold water, boiled for 45-60 minutes, covered with a saucepan, with a slight boil.
Duration of cooking may be a shorter period of time, depending on the type of bean. Among the food varieties of lentils, the five most popular varieties are:
• Yellow and green beans, which, in fact, represent one variety, but in varying degrees of technical maturity; yellow lentils are more mature, they are well boiled soft, used for making soups, cereals, fillings, mashed potatoes, and green is more suitable for making salads and appetizers, meat dishes.
• Red lentils, or Egyptian, boil for 15 minutes. This grade - universal, from the point of view of culinary use.
• Brown (or brown) lentils - the most common variety, suitable for making soups, mashed potatoes, has a pleasant nutty flavor, especially if before cooking the grain washed and fried in a dry frying pan.
• Black lentils, except for color, is distinguished by the smallest grain size. It is also used in the preparation of various dishes, giving them a very original look.
• Marble variety bred by crossing brown and black lentils, has a characteristic pattern. It is also used in cooking, as a universal variety.
For soups, puree is characterized by a homogeneous consistency, moderately thick. In principle, the cream soup can be made from any available lentil variety, and the difference in technology will be in the duration of cooking. You need to add salt when the kernels are completely melted. As an additional thickener for lentil soups, use the traditional set of vegetables, as for soups with peas and beans.
Remember one feature - lentils are rich in protein, so it is one of the main components of dishes in Asian cuisines. From lentil puree you can cook something similar to meatballs. It can become the main element of dishes during the post.
1. Spicy lentil soup of Egypt, with tomato
Ingredients:
Tomatoes 450 g
Onion 140g
Yellow carrot 150 g
Potatoes 200 g
Lentils (red) 250 g
Water (or chicken broth) 900 ml
Parsley (leaves) 100 g Coriander
Chile
Salt
Zira
Refined vegetable oil 75 ml
Cooking Technology:
Sort the beans, rinse under running water, pour the lentils into a sieve. Put in cold water and cook for ten minutes.
Peel the potatoes, cut into small cubes, throw in the pan. Chop the onions and carrots finely, brush with butter, sprinkle with salt and sugar, wrap in a sheet of foil, bake in an oven heated to 280 ° C, minutes 5. When the vegetables are warm, unfold the foil and leave them in the oven for a few more , for caramelization of sugar to a light brown hue.
Wash ripe tomatoes, blanch in boiling water and dip into ice water. Remove the skin, wipe through a sieve and boil until boiling, put the baked vegetables, season with freshly ground spices. Simmer for another five minutes at low boil, and pour the tomato dressing into the pan.
Remove the pan from the stove, punch the vegetables with a blender until a pureed mass is formed. Taste the soup, let it boil again. Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.
2. Lentil soup with pumpkin and sesame
Ingredients:
Onion 130g
Cream (10%) 700 g
Water 0.5 l
Butternut Pumpkin (pulp) 350 g
Iodized salt
Brown lentils 200 g
Sugar
Ghee 80g
Muscat, ground 5 g
Leafy greens (optional) 50 g
Roasted sesame 70 g
Sour cream (21%) for serving
Cooking Technology:
In a dry skillet, fry the prepared lentils, pour them into a saucepan with cold water, and cook until soft. Then add the pumpkin pieces. The mass should be completely boiled soft.
Fry chopped onion to a ruddy color in a pan, adding melted butter. Transfer the onions to the pan. Add sugar and salt to taste.
Top up the cream, bring the soup to a boil over low heat to form a foam. Transfer the pot to the preheated oven (160 ° C) for half an hour. Then take out the soup, punch it with a blender, adding nutmeg. Serve, sprinkled with fried sesame, garnished with a sprig of rosemary or thyme. Serve with sour cream.
3. Yellow lentil soup with bacon
Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes (or potatoes) 250 g
1.2 L meat broth
Yellow lentils 300 g
Garlic 25g
Onions 200g
Smoked Bacon 150g
Red carrots 120 g
Pepper Mix
Celery root 40 g
Bay leaf 3 pcs.
Salt
Dill and parsley 70 g
Cooking Technology:
Boil lentils in the finished broth, add potato pieces to it. Keep slowly stewing soup. Cut the bacon into small cubes, put in a preheated pan. When the fat is melted, remove the pieces of fried bacon, and put onions, celery and carrots, pre-cut them finely. Fry until soft, and shift to the pan, to the total weight. Boil for 5-7 minutes, under the lid and on low heat.
Punch the ready soup with a blender, return to the stove, let it boil again, add spices and salt, garlic.
Serve in a tureen, garnished with dill and parsley leaves.
4. Lentil soup with croutons
Ingredients:
White loaf (or French loaf) 1 pc.
Olive oil 80 ml
Garlic 40g
Lemon 140 g (1 pc.)
Dill 120g
Onion 180g
Soft cheese, processed 400 g
Chicken broth 0.6 l
Carrots 100 g
Potatoes 200 g
Butter, melted 70 g
Cream (15%) 750 ml
Yellow lentils 150 g
Cooking Technology:
Boil the potatoes and lentils in the broth until tender. Pass the sliced onions and carrots in a frying pan, melt the butter in it. Put the browned vegetables into the pan, punch everything together with a blender until smooth. Let cool slightly
Preheat the cream to 40 ° C, dissolve the grated soft cheese in them. Combine both masses, bring to a boil. Season with spices, cover the pan, let it brew.
Stale long loaf cut into cubes, sprinkle with lemon juice, combined with vegetable oil. Fry the crackers in the oven until rosy color. In a blender, chop the garlic, dill and zest of fresh lemon. Heat the croutons in a container with a lid, put the same cooked spicy paste, close, and shake well. Hold the crackers in a closed container for half an hour so that they are saturated with aroma. Serve with soup.
5. Lenten lentil soup with cumin
Ingredients:
Onions 300 g
Water 1.4 l
Lentils yellow 350 g
Carrots 150g
Sunflower oil 120 ml
Garlic 20g
Potatoes 200 g
Parsley 80g
Celery 40g
Salt
Red chili
Bay leaf
Flour 60 g
Caraway
Cooking Technology:
Sort through and wash lentils, boil until soft, putting in cold water. Add potatoes, peeled and diced, continue to cook under a lid, with a moderate boil.
Peel the onions, carrots, celery root, chop the vegetables and fry in roasted sunflower oil until rosy color. Add flour to the passaging, stir, fry for another two minutes. Transfer passaged vegetables to the pan. Season vegetable broth with freshly ground spices, salt. After 2-3 minutes, remove the pan from the stove. Smash the soup with a blender until smooth. Let boil again and add chopped garlic, chopped parsley. Let the dish stand for about a quarter of an hour, serve with sour cream or mustard.
6. Lentil cream soup with fried chanterelles
Try making green lentil soup. It is brewed longer than yellow beans, but the taste is more delicate and does not look like a dish of beans, especially when it contains forest mushrooms.
Ingredients:
Chanterelles 800 g
Dill 150 g
Rosemary 70g
Green Lentils 450g
Broth (or water) 1.2 l
Butter 120g
Salt to taste
White pepper
Ground nutmeg
Bay leaf
Onion and leek - 100 g
Cooking Technology:
Cooked prepared lentils to a puree, dip in cold water. Separately boil the mushrooms, drain the water. Cut them into plates and fry with onions in butter. Punch lentils with a blender to a puree consistency, salt, add spices, chopped dill leaves.
Serve in the tureens, putting in each serving fried mushrooms, chopped leeks and a sprig of rosemary. If desired, add sour cream or thick cream.
Lentil Cream Soup - Tips and Tricks
First, the benefits of lentils. In a bowl of lentil soup or soup - the average daily rate of potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium. The remaining mineral components are present in small quantities. At zero carbohydrates, unlike peas and beans, it contains half the daily value of protein. Lentil contains a small amount of fat. Lentil dishes allow you to quickly and easily saturate the body without overloading it. So, lentils - really dietary and even medicinal product.
From the culinary point of view, the available variety of food varieties of lentils opens up broad opportunities for the realization of the most daring culinary ideas: in the preparation of salads, pies, appetizers, first and second courses, and pastries.
It is also worth noting that lentils are a very unpretentious crop when grown. Beans can grow even on stones. But the most amazing and valuable property of the plant - resistance to the effects of toxins, nitrates and radionuclides. Studies have shown that lentils do not contain harmful compounds, in whatever conditions it grows. This is a serious reason for thinking about how to change your culinary preferences.
