Everyday lentils

Rotlinsen (red): 250g for 1 meal 1~2 ppl, 500g for more meals, 1kg for 6~7 ppl.

Triple the lentils' volume (not mass) in water; more if you want a cream-soup texture.

2~3 bay leaves.

Dry herbs to taste (suggestions: Bohnenkraut (savoury), sage (use moderately)).

To cook Berglinsen (brown), increase the amount of water. I'm still experimenting with this so I have to add more water during the cooking. Berglinsen are the same as the Rotlinsen, only "unpeeled".

After the lentils are cooked:

For umami: MSG, garlic powder, or nutritional yeast.

Salt.

Spices to taste (suggestions: black pepper, chilli pepper, shichimi, huājiāo / flower pepper powder, nutmeg etc.).

Fresh herbs to top (suggestions: parsley, thyme).

1. Rinse the lentils in water with a stick, discard the water and let the wet lentils rest for a few minutes. I do this already in the measuring cup; in my experience 500g of lentils take about 600ml volume.

2. Use a spoon and your fingers to pour the wet lentils into a hot pot. Use a big pot, they’ll grow in volume cooked. Set the fire to maximum and bounce the lentils around til they feel dry and starting to toast.

3. Cover everything with the water, add the bay leaves and dry herbs, cover the pot, and wait til the water boils. A glass lid will help you a lot, because you should avoid opening the lid as much as you can.

4. Once the water boils, reduce to a simmer.

Boiling water always stays at 100°. Changing your heat setting won’t change the heat; it will change how fast the water boils. You want it to take some 20min for whole lentils, 30min for creamy. You want the water to finish drying around this mark, without needing to pour out anything.

So you can adjust it; if at 3min left it still feels kinda watery, increase the heat to dry faster. If at 5min left they’re still swimming in water, put heat to max and open the lid, to dry as fast as possible. If you miss it don’t sweat it, just let it boil open til the water is gone—it will be mushier but still delicious.

5. Add salt and umami seasonings.

Mix it well and taste as you season. Err on the side of undersalted, people can always add more later, and the seasonings will bloom and get stronger over time. (But do eat it salted! It tastes much better with sufficient salt!) Add fresh herbs as topping directly to plates, after everything is ready.

Dry lentils are cheap and keep for years. Cooked lentils last a week in the fridge; they freeze well, and last 3 months frozen. (Don't let cooked lentils overnight outside the fridge.) They’re exceptionally nutritious and fulfilling, and pair great with carbs like rice/potatoes/quinoa/etc.

Fridge lentils tend to get dry so be sure to add water when re-heating them.