why won't my lentils cook uniformly?
Whenever I cook black lentils there is always a hard crunchy piece in every bite while other pieces become soft as they should, I start cooking by boiling for about 30 minutes in unsalted water until almost all the lentils are soft. I tried changing my soaking time and boiling time before I add salt but it didn't help. Could it be that the manufacturer is mixing old lentils with newer ones or is there something else.
Best Answer
When cooking any sort of legumes 1) Sort them (if you don't trust it to be pre-sorted) 2) Soak them (make cooking easier, and also more uniform, since they already absorbed moisture) 3) Now you cook them. I don't simmer in the slow cooker, I usually pressure cook them
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Why do my lentils always turn to mush?
Simmering at too high a heat (and having them bounce around in the pot) is usually what leads to mushy lentils. They can overcook quickly, so keep an eye on the time. Add a Bay Leaf and Piece of Kombu: While lentils have a natural earthy flavor, a bay leaf and piece of kombu seaweed adds more flavor to the tiny legume.How do you soften cooked lentils?
Soak softer lentils such as split red and yellow in plain water. Fill a bowl with water. Place the washed lentils in the bowl. Cover the bowl and let the lentils soften for 30 minutes to one hour.Should lentils simmer covered or uncovered?
Place lentils in a large pot with at least 2\u201d of unsalted liquid covering them. Bring to a rapid simmer. Reduce heat to very low, so only slow bubbles appear. Cook your lentils uncovered on low heat for 20-45 minutes (based on the variety) to plump them up while avoiding split skins and mushy results.Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Andrea Piacquadio, Klaus Nielsen, Kampus Production, Klaus Nielsen