{{taxobox |name = Lentil |image = 3 types of lentil.jpg |image_caption = Lentils |regnum = Plantae |unranked_divisio = Angiosperms |unranked_classis = Eudicots |unranked_ordo = Rosids |ordo = Fabales |familia = Fabaceae |subfamilia = Faboideae |tribus = Vicieae |genus = ''Lens'' |species = ''L. culinaris'' |binomial = ''Lens culinaris'' |binomial_authority = Medikus |}}

The lentil (''Lens culinaris'') (International Feed Number, 5-02-506) is an edible pulse. It is a bushy annual plant of the legume family, grown for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about tall and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each.

Background

The plant likely originated in the Near East, and lentils have been part of the human diet since the aceramic (pottery nonproducing) Neolithic times, being one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East. Archeological evidence shows they were eaten 13,000 to 9,500 years ago.

Lentil colors range from yellow to red-orange to green, brown and black. Lentils also vary in size (e.g., Masoor lentils, shown in photos here), and are sold in many forms, with or without the skins, whole or split.

Other pulses are sometimes called lentils, but are actually beans or peas, e.g. "black lentils" (urad beans).

Types

Brown/Spanish pardina

French green/puy lentils (dark speckled blue-green)

Green

Black/beluga (not actually true lentils; see urad bean)

Yellow/tan lentils (red inside)

* Red Chief (decorticated yellow lentils)

Eston Green (Small green)

Richlea (medium green)

Laird (large green)

Petite Golden (decorticated lentils)

Masoor (brown-skinned lentils which are orange inside)

* Petite crimson/red (decorticated masoor lentils)

''Macachiados'' (big Mexican yellow lentils)

Preparation

Lentils should not be eaten raw, due to the presence of antinutrients such as phytic acid and tannins; some types of lentils require soaking overnight before cooking, as well.

The seeds require a cooking time of 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the variety–shorter for small varieties with the husk removed, such as the common red lentil–and have a distinctive, earthy flavor. Lentils are used throughout South Asia, the Mediterranean regions and West Asia. They are frequently combined with rice, which has a similar cooking time. A lentil and rice dish is referred to in west Asia as ''mujaddara'' or ''mejadra''. Rice and lentils are also cooked together in ''khichdi'', a popular dish in the Indian subcontinent; a similar dish, ''kushari'', made in Egypt, is considered one of two national dishes. Lentils are used to prepare an inexpensive and nutritious soup all over Europe and North and South America, sometimes combined with some form of chicken or pork.

Dried lentils can also be sprouted by leaving in water for several days, which changes their nutrition profile.

Lentils with husk remain whole with moderate cooking; lentils without husk tend to disintegrate into a thick purée, which leads to quite different dishes.

Nutritional value and health benefits

{{nutritionalvalue | name = Lentils, raw (dry weight) | kJ=1477 | protein=26 g | fat=1 g | carbs = 60 g | sugars = 2 g | fiber=31 g | thiamin_mg=0.87 | iron_mg=7.5 | folate_ug=479 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }}

With about 26% of their calories from protein, lentils, like other legumes, have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any plant-based food, after soybeans and hemp. Proteins include the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, and are an essential source of inexpensive protein in many parts of the world, especially in the West Asia and the Indian subcontinent, which have large vegetarian populations. Lentils are deficient in two essential amino acids, methionine and cysteine. However, sprouted lentils contain sufficient levels of all essential amino acids, including methionine and cysteine.

Lentils also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B₁, and minerals. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% rather than 31%). ''Health'' magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods. Lentils are often mixed with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein dish.

Lentils also have antinutritional factors, such as trypsin inhibitors and relatively high phytate content. Trypsin is an enzyme involved in digestion, and phytates reduce the bioavailability of dietary minerals. The phytates can be reduced by soaking the lentils in warm water overnight.

Lentils are a good source of iron.

Production

Lentils are relatively tolerant to drought, and are grown throughout the world. FAO reported the world production of lentils for calendar year 2009 was 3.917 million metric tonnes, primarily coming from Canada, India, Turkey and United States.

About a third of the worldwide production of lentils is from India, most of which is consumed in the domestic market. Canada is the largest export producer of lentils in the world, and Saskatchewan is the most important producing region in Canada. Statistics Canada estimates that Canadian lentil production for the 2009/10 year is a record 1.5 million metric tonnes.

The Palouse Region of Eastern Washington and the Idaho Panhandle, with its commercial center at Pullman, WA, constitutes the most important lentil-producing region in the United States. Montana and North Dakota are also significant lentil growers. National Agricultural Statistics Service reports United States 2007 production at 154.5 thousand metric tonnes.

align="right">950,000 align="right">302,181 align="right">265,760 align="right">143,000 align="right">123,777 align="right">120,000 align="right">102,461 align="right">83,985 align="right">60,537

colspan="3"	Top ten lentil producers – 2009
		! Production (tonnes)	! Footnote
	1,510,200
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World	3,917,923	A
	Source: Food And Agricultural Organization of United Nations: Economic And Social Department: The Statistical Division

Current United States production numbers can be found at the NASS database here by selecting the desired items.

Diseases

In culture

Lentils are mentioned many times in the Old Testament, the first time recounting the incident in which Jacob purchases the birthright from Esau with stewed lentils (a "mess of pottage") In Jewish mourning tradition, they are considered as food for mourners, together with boiled eggs, because their round shape symbolizes the life cycle from birth to death.

Lentils were the main ingredient in the diet of ancient Iranians, who consumed lentils daily in the form of a stew poured over rice.

Lentils are also commonly used in Ethiopia in a stew-like dish called ''kik,'' or ''kik wot,'' one of the dishes people eat with Ethiopia's national food, ''injera'' flat bread. Yellow lentils are used to make a nonspicy stew, which is one of the first solid foods Ethiopian women feed their babies.

In Shia narrations, lentils are said to be blessed by seventy Prophets including Jesus and Mohammed.

In Italy, eating lentils on New Year's Eve traditionally symbolizes the wish to earn more money next year, most likely because of their round coin-like shape.

In "Cinderella", one of Grimm's Fairy Tales, a task her stepmother assigns Cinderella is fishing lentils out of ash. If she succeeds, she may go to the ball.

See also

Multilingual list of edible plants used in Indian cuisine

Revalenta arabica, a 19th century patent medicine made of lentils

Lentil soup

National Lentil Festival

''Dal''

References

Further reading

Alan Davidson, ''The Oxford Companion to Food''. ISBN 0-19-211579-0

S S Yadav et al. ''Lentil: An Ancient Crop for Modern Times''. (2007). Springer Verlag. ISBN 9781402063121.

External links

Crop Wild Relatives Gap Analysis Portal reliable information source on where and what to conserve ''ex-situ'', regarding ''Lens'' genepool

All types of lentils & uses

Information on Cooking Lentils

Lentils - Country Production, Consumption, Exports, and Imports Statistics

Alternative Field Crops Manual: Lentil

Category:Faboideae Category:Edible legumes Category:Vietnamese ingredients

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Coordinates	°′″N°′″N
name	Anjum Anand
birth date	August 15, 1971
birth place	London, United Kingdom
style	Indian cuisine
education	Business Administration School of Geneva
television	Great Food LiveMarket KitchenIndian Food Made Easy
website	www.anjumanand.co.uk
footnotes	}}

Anjum Anand (born 15 August 1971 in London, England) is a British Indian food writer and TV chef of Indian cuisine. She is considered one of the first food writers to create Indian recipes to cater for the health conscious cook.

Biography

Anjum Anand, of Scottish-Indian descent, grew up in London but has also lived and studied in Geneva, Paris, and Madrid. She speaks French and Spanish, holds a degree in European business administration, and for a period ran a business importing flat-pack furniture from eastern Europe. She has worked in the kitchens of hotel restaurants including at Café Spice in New York, as a waitress in Park Royal Hotel in New Delhi, and for Tommy Tang at Mondrian Hotel in Los Angeles.

Her perspective on adapting healthy meals from a traditionally rich Indian diet came from personal experience of weight problems while growing up. Her diet consists of varied traditional dishes, recreated with wholesome ingredients and limited oil. At age 25 her first book ''Indian Every Day: Light Healthy Indian Food'' was published.

Anand became a regular guest on UKTV Food's ''Great Food Live'' from 2004 to 2007, and featured in the BBC Two series ''Indian Food Made Easy'' broadcast in 2007. Her accent and flirtatious manner have led to her being dubbed "the Nigella Lawson of Indian cuisine in Britain". Reacting to descriptions of herself as "television's tastiest chef", she finds it "preposterous".

She has been a regular contributor to ''The Times Online'' food pages since 2007. She has acted as consultant chef to Birds Eye brand to develop a range of healthy Indian ready meals. In September 2008 Anand published her third recipe book ''Anjum's New Indian'', followed by a new BBC television series in November.

Published works

''Indian Every Day: Light, Healthy Indian Food'' (Headline Book Publishing, ISBN 0755312015)

''Indian Food Made Easy'' (2007, Quadrille Publishing, ISBN 9781844005710)

''Anjum's New Indian'' (2008, Quadrille Publishing, (ISBN 9781844006168)

References

External links

Anjum Anand official site

Anjum Anand in ''The Times Online''

''Indian Food Made Easy'' on BBC.co.uk

Category:Living people Category:English food writers Category:English people of Indian descent Category:English television chefs Category:People from London Category:English chefs Category:Punjabi people Category:1971 births Category:Chefs of Indian cuisine