Lentils no longer the cheapest option!

Patchwork_Quilt

Just to say that the cannellini beans are 38p per pack in Mr T at the moment. Good for home made baked beans etc

pretz_2

omg i have to say i nearly had a heart attack today when i popped in somerfield and they wanted £1.93 for 500g of non-organic red lentils

Zara77

Hi
i was in the world food section in Asda yesterday and the had 5kg bags of red lentils for £6. This seemed like a good price and it was KTC brand. Hope this helps-zara

kafkathecat

samandsheryl wrote: »

Hi there. Bit of a novice in the kitchen but love both Lentils and Curry. Is it possible to just throw in a handfull of lentils when cooking a curry or is it likely to be disgusting / not cooked properly?

Thanks for any help!
Sam

Hi Sam
Yes, I do this all the time. You can put in a small amount just to thicken the sauce or more to make a thick lentil and veg curry. I just put them in at the beginning and leave out the salt/bouillon until they're cooked approx 20 minutes. I think too much tomato can slow down the cooking time also.
K

Olliebeak

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

I noticed that the price has soared in Asda too so I buy the broth mix and use that for bulking out instead

I think I'm obsessed with this stuff - keep buying it even when I've already got a couple of packs in the cupboard. But we love it in my Scouse recipe so I do get through quite a lot ofthe stuff .

thriftlady_2

According to the Tesco website the cheapest pulse they have are cannellini beans (white kidney beans) which are 38p for 500g and the most expensive is split red lentils which are £1.02 for 500g. Incredibly they are more expensive than the posh dark green lentilles verte which are 73p.

I've checked the Ocado site and they have a much more extensive choice of pulses which are nearly all more expensive than Tesco. However, their red lentils are 88p for 500g.

Health food stores may be cheaper.

Pulses still represent good value for money;) If you cook them in bulk and freeze them they are a great convenience food too.

gilda

thriftlady wrote: »

Incredibly they are more expensive than the posh dark green lentilles verte which are 73p.

Silly innit??

Tesco and my local Asian supermarket are cheapest for chick peas at the moment.

Has anyone ever tried sprouting chick peas by the way??

I know you should NEVER sprout red kidney beans due to the toxin which is only destroyed by boiling - but apparently chick pea sprouts are nice.

tryingtoruletheworld

Chick pea sprouts are lovely, although I have never sprouted them myself, I get them with my veg box sometimes!

Yes, soya beans are similar to red kidney beans too in that you have to fast boil them for 10mins or so after soaking, as they contain some kind of nasty that I think stops you producing/absorbing certain amino acids or something?! Chickpeas are so cheap though, and super versatile! That reminds me, must start soaking some......

cheerfulness4

Are chickpeas and split peas as good for you as red lentils? Also with the green lentils being cheaper I wondered if they can be used as easily as red lentils. (I know they cook down and thicken things beautifully).

OH has shocked me by saying he'd like 3 or 4 meatless meals a week so I'm eager to get this worked into the meal plans pronto before he changes his mind.

thriftlady_2

cheerfulness4 wrote: »

Are chickpeas and split peas as good for you as red lentils? Also with the green lentils being cheaper I wondered if they can be used as easily as red lentils. (I know they cook down and thicken things beautifully).

Yes, chickpeas are good for you as are all pulses.

I'm afraid you can't use green lentils quite the same way as red split lentils because they don't cook down to a mush. They remain firm and whole. I love the little grey-blue Puy lentils and the big green continental ones. They are fab for salads as well as casseroles and soups.

Lentils don't need soaking like beans and chickpeas.

You can cook up a lot of Puy or continental lentils at once and keep them in the fridge for up to 6 days.

Cook them with a couple of garlic cloves and one or two bay leaves till tender but with some 'bite'. Let them cool, then pour over a little olive oil, and stir to coat well. Turn into a storage box and refrigerate.

You can then use them for salads by adding fresh herbs, chopped raw veg like tomatoes, cucumber, onion or chopped roast veg like courgettes, squash and peppers, or cooked peas and beans. Add some feta, goat cheese, or blue cheese, or some crispy bacon, leftover pickings from a gammon joint -you get the idea.

They are great for using up tiny tiny amounts of leftover roasts. They go particularly well with duck and game.

Or add them to a grain like rice, bulghar with spices and fried onions to make a meatless pilaff.