# Lentil

Lentil seeds are produced by cultivated lentil plants (Vicia lens; synonym Lens culinaris) in the genus Vicia. The genus consists of legumes belonging to the vetch subfamily Faboideae of the family Fabaceae. Lentil seeds are grown primarily as a human food and have many culinary uses, especially as a staple food in the Indian subcontinent.

## Quotes

* Lentil is sometimes called “poor man's meat”. Such a description originated in ancient Europe. In India and many other countries, lentil is equally relished by all levels of society. Nevertheless, there may exist a relationship between poverty and lentil consumption as in earlier times, which led the ancient Greeks to describe the “nouveau rich”: “Now he does not like lentils anymore” (Ackroyd et al., 1982).
** R.S. Bhatty, (April 1988)"Composition and Quality of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik): A Review". Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology Journal 21 (2): 144–160. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0315-5463(88)70770-1.
* LENTIL FRITTERS Lentils, 1 cup. Rich milk, 1/4 cup. Egg, 1. Butter, 1 tablespoonful. Flour, 3/4 cup. Cook lentils until tender, drain, press through a colander, add the milk, butter, flour, salt, and beaten yolk. Mix thoroughly and add the stiffly-beaten white. Drop in spoonfuls on oiled griddle and brown on both sides, or bake in the oven. Garnish with parsley, and serve with marmalade or apple sauce.
** Edward Guyles Fulton, Vegetarian Cook Book: Substitutes for Flesh Food. Pacific Press Publishing Company. 1904. p. 92.
* 7.1.2 Lentil/Masoor Dal Masoor dal also known as red lentil is a prevalent pulse in Indian cuisines and widely utilized in diverse food products. It is a type of lentil with a reddish-orange color, a small size and can cook easily as compared to other lentils. It can be cooked without prior soaking like other pulses. To cook masoor dal, it is rinsed thoroughly and then cooked with water or broth until it becomes tender. It can be seasoned with various spices and herbs. Masoor dal is mainly consumed in the form of curry for lunch and dinner meals along with boiled rice, flatbread, and so forth. It is typically cooked with spices, tomatoes, onions, and sometimes garlic and ginger. The combination of rice and dal is known by different names in different countries, for example in Nepal, it is known as dal bhat, and in Pakistan, it is known as dal chawal. Dal tadka is a popular variation of lentil curry where the cooked lentils/masoor dal are often tempered with spices like cumin, mustard seeds, garlic, and curry leaves.
** Marium Shaikh, Kappat Valiyapeediyekkal Sunooj, Md. Hafizur Rahman, Muhammed Navaf, and Tahira Mohsin Ali, (August 2024)"Lentils: A Recent Review on Global Trade and Popular Regional Cuisines". Legume Science. DOI:10.1002/leg3.252.
* Lentil (Lens culinaris Medlik.) is an important legume crop with respect to global production, trade, and consumption patterns. Lentil belongs to the Leguminosae family and is a self-pollinated crop. It is one of the highly valued pulse crops in farming systems. Lentil is an annual legume plant with its lens-shaped seed and is grown in more than 45 countries (Khazaei et al. 2019). An artificial (AI)-based research data search engine (Dimensions 2022) indicates there are than 147,000 publications, 75,000 patents, and over 150 clinical trials on lentils. These data clearly indicate the importance of lentils in today's world. The total world production of lentils was 5.61 million metric tons (MT) in 2021, which has more than doubled from 2.66 MT since 1991.
** Mark A. Uebersax, Muhammad Siddiq, and Lilian D. Kaale, "Chapter 1. An Overview of Lentil Production, Trade, Processing, and Nutrient Profile". Lentils: Production, Processing Technologies, Products, and Nutritional Profile. John Wiley & Sons. 2023. pp. 3–24. ISBN 1119866898. quote from p. 3; edited by Jasim Ahmed, Muhammad Siddiq, Mark A. Uebersax
* LENTIL (Lens esculenta) An annual leguminous plant much grown in Europe for its round, flat seeds, which are boiled like soup or cooked like beans. The plant is little grown in this country. It requires a warm, sandy soil, and should be planted at about the time soup beans are. Sow in drills 18 to 24 inches and harvest when the stems begin to yellow. The seed may be beaten out with a flail after the pods are dry.
** Earley Vernon Wilcox and Clarence Beaman Smith, "Lentil". Farmer's Cyclopedia of Agriculture: A Compendium of Agricultural Science and Practice on Field, Orchard, and Garden Crops, Spraying, Soils, and Feeding and Diseases of Farm Animals, Dairy Farming, and Poultry in the United States and Canada. Orange Judd Company. 1905. p. 75.

## Lentil: An Ancient Crop for Modern Times (2007)

* Although lentils tend to suffer less from disease than do other legume crops, they are still impacted by root rots and wilts, rusts, blights, and viruses.
** Edward B. Knipling "Foreword". Lentil: An Ancient Crop for Modern Times. Springer Science & Business Media. 2007. pp. vii–viii. ISBN 140206313X. quote from p. viii; edited by Shyam S. Yadav, David McNeil, and Philip C. Stevenson
* ... Lentil seeds dating back 8,000 years have been found at archeological sites in the Middle East. Lentils were mentioned in the Bible, both as an item that Jacob traded to Esau for his birthright and as part of bread that was made during the Babylonian captivity of the Jewish people.
** Shyam S. Yadav, David McNeil, and Philip C. Stevenson. Preface, pp. xix–xx; quote from p. xix
* ... The lentil seeds are relatively higher in protein content (25%), carbohydrates and calories that other legumes (Muehlbauel et al. 1985). Its seeds are also a good source of essential minerals like calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B. Lentil seeds are used for various cuisines worldwide and most commonly used as main dishes, side dishes, as sprouted grain in salads with rotis and rice. It is used as a staple of the diet in many Middle Eastern countries and India. Lentil flour can be used to prepare dishes such as soups, stews and purees. The flour can be mixed with cereals to make breads and cakes and as food for infants (Williams and Singh 1988).
** J. S. Sandhu and Sarvjeet Singh, Chapter 1. History and Origin, pp. 1–9; quote from p. 3

## External links

* (January 9, 2023)"Expert's Guide to Lentils". America's Test Kitchen, YouTube. (mini-tutorial by Jack Bishop)
* "Michelin Star Indian Chef Reveals How to Make the Perfect Dal | My Greatest Dishes". Food Network UK, YouTube. (See Atul Kochhar.)
* Health & Nutrition. lentils.org.