It cooks very quickly, and the end result is so tasty that the children always ask for more.

The photo shows the same “small red” lentils that I, a crazy housewife, brought from Israel.))) They say that Moscow supermarkets also have these (I haven’t seen them in Voronezh). But even if you don’t see exactly it, you can buy “our”, the usual one, the difference will be in adding it to the pan: at the beginning of cooking, and not at the end.

So, let's take the lentils... and put them aside))))) Because now I'm going to show off my new spring dishes. I never thought that the lilac color would please me, but either the April associations with lilac played a role, or the tone itself was simply very good, or the coating was high-quality, expensive (varnish, scratch-resistant and it even flickers with sparks), but I I was so hooked that I bought a new board for the set. =) You cook and your mood improves, your eyes are happy.

In the photo there is a saucepan SUPRA SVS-2092C (VASEI line , I also have a ladle and a stewpan from them). Not cheap, costs around 2600 rubles, heavy... Perhaps this is due to the thickness of the bottom, it is triple stamped (fused) induction. You pick one up and think: “Yes... this is a THING!”

But not only the bottom is excellent, I want to say a few words about the lid. The manufacturer positions its structure as a new generation lid, and not only because of the heat-resistant heat-resistant glass - many have this - but this is the first time I personally see such a design: it has a hole for releasing steam on the handle of the lid. You say: “Well, what’s so surprising about this?” The fact is that it can be opened or closed, adjustment occurs with one movement of the handle of this cover (it rotates, adjusting the valve).

So, don't get distracted, otherwise I could talk about dishes for hours. :)

Lentil soup, as I already said, is very simple to prepare, but its taste is not hackneyed and if it is not already on your menu, I advise you to introduce it and diversify your family dinners with it. Take potatoes (cut large ones in half, generally just peel medium ones), grate carrots on a fine grater, and chop onions. Cut the ribs into portions and cook it all until the potatoes are ready.

Now we take out the ribs and put them in one cup, and put the potatoes in another and mash them into puree (I just do this with a fork), and then put them back into the soup being prepared. All that remains is to add the lentils and cook for another ten minutes. I remind you! If you have “regular” brown lentils, add them at the beginning of cooking (focus on the quantity so that they do not swell as much as peas, but on the contrary, they hardly change in volume).

So, in principle, simple products and nothing complicated to prepare. What haven't I told you yet? I also sprinkle ground pepper on everyone’s plate and add some greens.

That's all! Dinner is served. As for the dishes, I would like to mention the ergonomic bakelite handles with SOFT TOUCH coating, which do not heat up, and inside there are volume marks, which is very convenient when you need to measure the volume. Later I will also show you a ladle, but I haven’t decided what to cook in it, and a stewpan - in it I will make an Israeli “Shabbat” dish with barley.

Lentils: cooking secrets + 3 amazing recipes

A good lentil dish will always have a place on the table, both summer and winter. This surprisingly satisfying type of legume is almost on par with meat in protein content, and tastes superior to many side dishes.
However, like other legumes, grains and seeds, lentils are a difficult food to digest, which, if prepared incorrectly, can hinder the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and cause bloating. Are there ways to avoid such unpleasant consequences?

We answer: there are, and many people intuitively use them all the time. Today - about the secrets of cooking easy-to-digest lentils, as well as 3 delicious lentil recipes for practicing the skill.

How to properly prepare lentils

Uncooked, lentils are literally a challenge to digestion. The fact is that absolutely all legumes contain special substances - inhibitors, which prevent grains from germinating without sufficient moisture and literally block our enzymes, thus slowing down digestion. This is exactly what happens every time we boil dry lentils. Of course, with good digestion, this process can pass without leaving a trace. However, if you have sensitive gastrointestinal organs or lentils end up on your table with enviable regularity, then you should think about “workarounds” for cooking.

This is exactly the method - pre-soaking lentils for several hours in water, which essentially simulates the entry of grain into moist soil and neutralizes inhibitors, also converting all nutrients into a more bioavailable form. Rinse the grains, cover them with water and leave them in a saucepan with a lid.

According to various sources, it is better to soak lentils for 3-7 hours or even overnight - this is exactly what is required to neutralize the inhibitors. Experts also advise soaking the lentils in a warm place - this will make the process go even faster. After soaking, drain the water, rinse the lentils and proceed to the selected cooking method.

How to cook lentils: useful tips

1. Pay attention to the spices
Along with lentils, choose spices that have a positive effect on the absorption of legumes: asafoetida, turmeric, coriander, black pepper, fresh and dried ginger.

2. Choose the type of lentils
Different varieties of lentils are better suited for different dishes according to their characteristics. For example, green French, “marbled” lentils practically do not boil, so cooks often use them to add to salads. Orange lentils are an ideal base for a rich soup, but brown lentils are good as a side dish and as the main ingredient of a second dish with meat.

3. Time yourself
The cooking time also varies among lentil varieties. Cook the red one for 25-30 minutes, the brown one will be ready in 20-25 minutes, but the elastic green one will take all of 40 minutes. It is important to note that it is not recommended to cook lentils in salted water, as this only increases the cooking time - just add salt at the end.

Red Lentil and Carrot Soup

Light, nutritious and quick to prepare, the soup is an excellent dietary lunch option for all occasions.

Ingredients:

● Cumin 2 tsp.
● Red pepper flakes pinch
● Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
● Grated carrots 600 g
● Red lentils 140 g
● Vegetable broth 1 l
● Milk 125 ml

Cooking method:

1. Soak the lentils overnight. Drain and rinse.
2. Heat cumin and pepper flakes in a dry frying pan until fragrant.

3. Transfer half the portion of spices from the frying pan to a plate, and add oil to the remaining ones and add carrots, lentils, broth and milk. Bring to a boil and cook for 15 minutes until soft.
4. Blend soup until smooth or more textured.
5. Serve hot with Indian flatbreads, garnishing the soup with the remaining spices.

2. Salad with green lentils and red onions

A bright vitamin salad that can decorate even a holiday table. To prepare this dish, we recommend using the dense variety of green lentils “De Puy,” which will retain their shape when cooked.

Ingredients:

● Green lentils "De Puy" 250 g
● Juice of half a lemon
● Juice of half a lime
● White wine or apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp. l.
● Red onion 1 pc.
● Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
Ground cumin 1 tsp.
● Garlic 1 clove
● Mango sauce or dressing to taste 2 tbsp. l.
● Cilantro - a handful
● Cherry tomatoes 250 g
● Spinach 85 g

Cooking method:

1. Soak lentils overnight and cook according to package instructions.
2. Mix citrus juice, vinegar or wine with a pinch of salt, then add the chopped onion and marinate for a few minutes until soft.

3. In a separate bowl, combine oil, cumin, crushed garlic and chosen dressing.
4. Add onion rings and combine with remaining ingredients.
5. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro.

Sweet Potato and Lentil Soup

A wonderfully warming, flavorful soup - just right for a rainy or chilly day. If you don't have sweet potatoes, you can substitute pumpkin or turnips.

For a 3 liter saucepan:

● 2.5 liters of broth with meat (I used beef)
● 1 medium sweet potato
● 1 medium onion
● 1 carrot
● 100 g lentils
● 1 tsp. tomato paste
● paprika, curry, cumin, salt, pepper
● greens

Cooking method:

1. Peel the vegetables, cut the sweet potato into cubes, finely chop the onion, grate the carrots.
2. Put vegetables and lentils into the boiling broth, add tomato paste and spices and cook until the lentils are ready.
3. If desired, you can pre-fry the onions and carrots with spices.
4. 10 minutes before readiness, add salt and paprika.
5. Serve with fresh herbs and sour cream.

Lentils are an ideal product for pregnant women and not only

Lentils have been known since ancient times as a food with great nutritional value; they contain substances high in protein, fiber, iron and folic acid (vitamin B9), making them an ideal food for pregnant women.
Thanks to folic acid and vitamin B, it can prevent the development of birth defects in the fetus, such as spina bifida and anencephaly. A high-protein product like lentils is very important for pregnant women, as protein is involved in the development of muscle mass in the fetus.

Additionally, folic acid may help combat the negative effects of certain medications. So, for example, a smoker or alcoholic can use lentils to restore their level of folic acid, which is removed from the body due to these bad habits.

Lentils are also rich in potassium, fiber, phosphorus, vitamin B5 and vitamin B6. Thanks to its high potassium concentration, it promotes good blood circulation and regulates blood pressure. Eating lentils helps relieve gastrointestinal problems due to their coarse fiber content, which lowers cholesterol levels and helps control obesity.

Being a food rich in phosphorus, lentils keep bones, teeth and skin in good condition, consuming them helps restore their natural pH balance. Lentils are recommended for improving the biological functions of the brain.
In addition, vitamin B5, or pantothenic acid, makes lentils an indispensable tool in the fight against stress and headaches, and vitamin B6 in its composition is recommended for diabetes, depression and asthma.


Thus, we can say that lentils are an indispensable product in the diet of any person. In addition to everything mentioned above, lentils are a vegetable rich in iron content, which helps fight anemia. In order to maximize the content of this mineral, you can add citrus fruits to your diet - lemons, oranges and tangerines.

You can add lentils as a side dish to other dishes, or use them in salads, in combination with lemon juice. However, you should not cook lentils for a long time, as they will lose their appearance, taste and many of their beneficial properties. The greatest amount of vitamins and minerals will be preserved if lentils are sprouted; to do this, rinse them, fill them with clean water for 6-8 hours, then drain the water, rinse the lentils and leave them in a warm, dark place for another 8 hours.

Finally, I will say that lentils contain the following nutrients:
70 mg calcium, 1.50 mg iodine, 3.10 mg zinc, 40.60 g carbohydrates, 24 mg sodium, 10 mg vitamin A, 0.47 mg vitamin B1, 0.22 mg vitamin B2, 6.58 mg vitamin B3, 3.40 mg vitamin C, 1.80 mg vitamin E, 304 calories, 1.70 g fat, 1.10 g sugars and 127 mg purine.

Pea porridge is one of those dishes that many people know from childhood. Healthy and at the same time very tasty, for many children it is one of the favorite porridges, however, adults also eat it eagerly, especially if you add tasty additions to it.

Peas are very healthy: they contain a lot of vitamins A, B and C, microelements (calcium, iron, etc.), easily digestible proteins, antioxidants and amino acids. It is not without reason that peas were one of the most important products for our ancestors, and not only porridges were prepared from them, but also soups, jelly, and even pies. Today, unfortunately, peas are not so popular, but anyone who watches their figure and wants to be healthy should definitely introduce pea dishes into their weekly diet.

Pea porridge is a tasty, satisfying, nutritious dish that is almost impossible to spoil. However, in order for such porridge to turn out to be truly healthy and tasty, you need to observe some subtleties when preparing it. So, let's look at the steps involved in preparing real pea porridge.

Preparing the peas

First of all, it’s worth talking about which peas are best to choose for cooking the healthiest porridge. The most valuable in terms of the content of various vitamins and nutrients are unshelled peas, but such peas must be pre-soaked in water.

First, you need to sort out the peas, removing spoiled and low-quality peas, then rinse them under running water several times and pour them into a pan (it’s better to use a cast iron or Teflon-coated pan), add water at the rate of 1 part peas to 4 parts water and leave for 5-7 hours or overnight. Soaking peas in water ensures their rapid boiling, i.e. Thanks to this, the porridge will turn out puree.

Here, in general, are all the subtleties of the preliminary stage, then we proceed to the most interesting thing - cooking the porridge.

Secrets of proper cooking of pea porridge

You need to put the peas on the stove to cook in the same water in which they were soaked. The container in which the porridge will be cooked must be thick-bottomed and thick-walled - then the peas will be cooked evenly.

Place the pan over medium or low heat and bring to a boil; after boiling, the porridge can be salted, stirred, and the heat on the stove should be reduced and then cook the porridge for at least half an hour over low heat.

• When cooking peas, do not forget to stir them regularly - peas burn very easily.
• If the water has boiled, add hot boiled water as needed.
• The cooking time of the porridge depends on how long the peas are soaked - the better they swell during soaking, the less they will need to be cooked. Typically this time can range from 30 to 60 minutes.
• Pea porridge is ready when the whole peas have boiled and the contents of the pan have acquired a puree-like consistency.
• If you want your porridge to be even more like puree, use a regular potato masher: just mash the peas with it to the desired consistency. After the porridge has acquired the desired consistency, additional ingredients can be added to it.

What can you add to pea porridge?

Different cuisines around the world have their own recipes for “ennobling” pea porridge. The easiest way is to season it with butter and fried onions. Another option is sautéed onions and carrots. You can also add fried greaves, chopped herbs, fried mushrooms, fried or boiled meat, bell peppers and much more to this wonderful porridge.

Pea porridge, seasoned with 20-22% fat cream when served, has a simply fabulous taste, but this option is also very high in calories, so it is not suitable for everyone.

At the very end of cooking, to make the taste of the porridge more rich, you can pour a little beef or chicken broth into it, if you want to add mushrooms to the porridge, you can also add mushroom broth, and vegetable lovers can give the porridge a brighter aroma by adding vegetable broth.

There are really many options for additional ingredients - it all depends on your preferences and wishes. If you don't mind calories, season the porridge with meat or cream; if you want a bright taste without extra calories, fried onions, vegetable broth, mushrooms or bell peppers are perfect as a dressing. When preparing pea porridge, it can be made to suit every taste - so that it will appeal to meat-eaters, dieters, and vegetarians.

Of course, you don’t have to add anything at all to this wonderful porridge - its taste is always bright and without additional ingredients!

Pea porridge: a few more secrets

What to do if you decide to cook peas, but you don’t have time to soak the peas? Everything is very simple: rinse the peas, pour cold water (the proportions are the same: 1 part peas to 4 parts water) and put on high heat, bring to a boil, turn the heat to moderate, cook the porridge for about an hour until the peas are boiled, skimming off any foam that forms. If the water is “hard”, add a little soda to it (about ½ tsp) - then the peas will boil faster. Salt this porridge only at the end of cooking; after boiling, the peas should be crushed with a masher, then give the resulting slightly runny puree time to thicken.

When cooking pea porridge, you can make it even more flavorful by adding not only salt, but also a little sugar, bay leaf and ground black pepper.

You can season the finished porridge with sunflower or olive oil.

Peas go well with chops and cutlets, pickled cucumbers and cabbage.

Since porridge is very filling, it is better to undereat than to overeat.

The remaining pea porridge can be used as a filling for pies.

Don’t try to cook delicious peas in a double boiler - something good is unlikely to come out of it.

Recipe for pea porridge with vegetables and cream

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tbsp. peas;
• 1 carrot;
• 1/2 bell pepper;
• 1/2 onion;
• 50 g cream;
• greenery;
• salt.

Pea porridge with vegetables and cream: step-by-step recipe

1. Soak the peas overnight, rinsing them several times before and adding water in a ratio of 1:2, boil for about 40 minutes in the same water, stirring.
2. Add cream to the porridge and mash it with a masher.
3. Finely chop the carrots, peppers and onions and simmer in a small amount of water. Season the porridge with vegetable dressing, stir, adding chopped herbs and serve.

Recipe for pea porridge with meat

Ingredients:

• beef/pork/chicken/pork ribs;
• peas;
• onion;
• water;
• salt;
• oil.

Pea porridge with meat: step-by-step recipe

1. Fill any selected meat with water and boil it until tender, adding seasonings and roots to the broth if desired. Skim off foam when cooking.
2. Take out the finished meat, chop it finely, strain the remaining broth and pour it over the peas previously soaked in water.
3. Prepare porridge from peas by boiling them for about an hour over moderate heat.
4. Add pieces of meat and fried onions in oil to the finished porridge, stir and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Bon appetit!!!

Medical nutrition. Recipes for healthy dishes for hypertension Smirnova Marina Aleksandrovna

Pea and lentil soup

Pea and lentil soup

Ingredients

25 g green peas, 25 g yellow peas, 25 g lentils, 1 onion, ? lemon, 40 g butter, ground black pepper, salt.

Cooking method

First fill the peas and lentils with cold water and leave for several hours to swell, then boil until soft and rub together with the broth through a sieve. Add sautéed onions, butter, pepper and lemon juice to the prepared puree and add salt.