Lentils

Before cooking, rinse lentils in cold water, pick over to remove debris or shrivelled lentils, then drain.

How to cook lentils

Boil lentils in three times the volume of water and avoid cooking with anything acidic – such as vinegar.

Lentils will vary in their cooking times depending on their variety and age, so always check the packet.

As a rough guide to cooking times:

Green and brown lentils: 35-45 minutes

Red split lentils: 15-20 minutes

Puy lentils: 25-30 minutes

Yellow lentils: 40-45 minutes

Lentils are also great in the pressure cooker; cook for around 20-30 mins (depending on the type).

How to store lentils

Keep lentils in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Although lentils can be kept and eaten indefinitely, they are best enjoyed within one year of purchase.

When are lentils in season?

All year round.

Choose the best lentils

Lentils can be bought, cooked and ready to eat, in a can or pouch, and are ideal for adding bulk to salads and sides.

Most commonly, lentils are bought dried and ideally will be firm, clean and unshrivelled. The type of lentil you choose will depend on intended usage:

Green and brown: Ideal for warm salads, casseroles and stuffing as they tend to retain their shape after cooking.

Puy lentils: These grey-green lentils, grown in the French region of Le Puy, are often more expensive than other common cooking varieties and are thought to be superior in texture (which they retain after cooking) and taste. This makes them the perfect accompaniment to more expensive ingredients such as fish and game, as well as sausages.

Red split lentils: When cooked these lentils form a rich purée and therefore are superb for thickening dishes such as soups and casseroles. They are also often cooked with spices to make the Indian dish dhal.

Yellow lentils: Also known as yellow split peas. Being quite similar to red split lentils, the yellow variety are used in a similar way and are great for adding colour to winter dishes. They are also traditionally stewed to a purée, typically in ham stock, in the north-east of England in a dish called pease pudding.