help what went wrong - cooking lentils to bulk out?!

domesticgoddess789

hey all

i added a handful of lentils and oats to my spag bol but the lentils never disappeared and stayed quite crunchy. it wasn't inedible or anything but I thought they would blend in and go much softer than that.

how long am I supposed to cook the bolognaise for so that they disappear into the mixture properly next time?

many thanks,

hayley

rachbc

i cook mine for about 2-3 hours so its thick and rich. what sort of lentils did you use?

hamstercheeks_2

pinkhayley789 wrote: »

hey all

i added a handful of lentils and oats to my spag bol but the lentils never disappeared and stayed quite crunchy. it wasn't inedible or anything but I thought they would blend in and go much softer than that.

how long am I supposed to cook the bolognaise for so that they disappear into the mixture properly next time?

many thanks,

hayley

if it's red lentils I boil them in a pan for 10 mins before adding them to my soup which I then cook for 2 hours

domesticgoddess789

i used red lentils and just added to the bolognaise

Miss_Liquorice

Had you soaked the lentils overnight beforehand?

Minxy_Bella

I grind my lentils into a flour before adding to my spag bol - dunno if that helps??

EssexHebridean

Red lentils shouldn't need any soaking. They do need at least 30 minutes of cooking though......having said that, the longer you cook bol sauce for the more tasty it becomes, within reason.

ariba10

How old were the Lentils ?

If they are old, you can cook them until the cows come home and they wont soften.

Penelope_Penguin

pinkhayley789 wrote: »

how long am I supposed to cook the bolognaise for so that they disappear into the mixture properly next time?

many thanks,

hayley

I add red lentils straight from the packet (no soaking, boiling or grinding in advance ) and cook on very low for about 3 hours (I find the mince tenderises best for that long too ).

Did you have plenty of liquid, as the lentils absorb it, and may not cook well if it's too dry?

Penny. x

domesticgoddess789

i used quorn mince, the lentils were fairly new, i didnt soak them and I cooked for about 30mins. maybe the problem was not enough time and not enough liquid then?

taplady

pinkhayley789 wrote: »

i used quorn mince, the lentils were fairly new, i didnt soak them and I cooked for about 30mins. maybe the problem was not enough time and not enough liquid then?

quorn mince doesn't need a great deal of cooking(nowhere near as long as minced beef) so I would cook the lentils a bit first(lots of liquid as has been said)