- 1 cup dry uncooked red lentils [172 g]
- 2 cups water [480 mL]
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Measure a cup of dry uncooked red lentils into a small pot.
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Rinse the red lentils once or twice in cold water and drain out the excess water.
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Add 2 cups of cold water to the pot.
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Place the pot uncovered on the stovetop on a medium heat setting. Once the pot contents start to boil, turn down the fire to a lower setting, but ensure the pot contents continue to boil gently during the rest of the cooking time.
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Cook 10 - 15 minutes then taste the lentils to ensure they are cooked through (the lentils should have expanded a little in size, be slightly lighter in color and taste soft). If so, turn off the heat setting and move the pot to an unheated burner. If the lentils still need more cooking, let the red lentils cook for another 3-5 minutes on the stovetop then taste-test the lentils again to see if they are cooked through.
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Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked lentils into a separate bowl to cool. (Reserve the lentil cooking liquid, as this can be used as a vegetable broth in other recipes.)
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You can now use the cooked and drained lentils in your cooking!
The longer the red lentils are cooked, the softer they become in texture and consistency. So if you would like the cooked red lentils to retain more texture, then drain the cooked red lentils to remove the excess cooking liquid right after they are cooked through (or remove the red lentils using a slotted spoon) before using them in your plant-based dish.