Cooks out there... HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[Sister Fracas 5]

I've been wanting to try a new Indian recipe, a lentil dish, and every single recipe I've come across tells me to cook the lentils in a pressure cooker from anywhere to 10-20 minutes (or 10 whistles... ) and seeing as I'm too scared to use a pressure cooker after seeing what happened to my grandmother's walls and ceiling after her cooker top blew with a pot of slit pea soup in it, I just want to know how this translates into stove top time? How long would 10-20 minutes in a pressure cooker be if the lentils were simmered on the stove?

Anyone?

Edited September 20, 2007 by Frances

[AtlantiCat 0]

Lentils are kind of tricky as they may take longer to cook depending on how old they are. The best way to do it would (IMHO) be to bring them to a boil and then check them every 10 minutes or so. By "check," I mean to fish out a few, cool them off and then nibble. They're pretty flavorless, but you'll want them to be reasonably soft. If you know exactly how soft you like your lentils, I would cook them until they're almost that soft (checking more often than 10 minute intervals if you need to), and then add them to your dish, depending on how long the dish itself needs to be cooked.

Good luck!

[Jenn! 918]

I don't like my lentils al dente at all. I usually soak them before cooking them (don't know if that's necessary or not, but I do it anyway). Then I let them simmer for at least an hour.

[Sister Fracas 5]

Thanks ladies.... I think I'll plan to get fresh lentils and definitely soak them overnight, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until almost done (yeah, that's a good idea AtlantiCat to do the taste test), and then do the rest of the simmering with the rest of the ingredients (I like my lentils on the soft side too Jenn), which I think is another 20-30 minutes. Wheee! I can't wait to try the recipe, it's one of my favorites in Indian restaurants.

Edited September 20, 2007 by Frances

[Caladan 19]

It also depends on the type of lentil. Red lentils turn to mush in about twenty minutes without soaking. Brown seem to take about three years (okay, an hour, but it feels like three years.) If you're soaking them overnight first, though, you'll only need a short simmering time.

[Sister Fracas 5]

I know what you mean.... I'm going to be using black gram lentils, so I think the longer time will be what's needed than if I were using kidney beans.

Edited September 20, 2007 by Frances

[Fandango 1,439]

Boy did I misread this title!

[Sister Fracas 5]

oi Lisa, you've been misreading titles today.... what did you think this one said? LOL

[Jenn! 918]

oi Lisa, you've been misreading titles today.... what did you think this one said? LOL

LOL, I misread it too. I was gonna say that we have plenty of those around here....

Edited September 20, 2007 by Jenn!

[Fandango 1,439]

oi Lisa, you've been misreading titles today.... what did you think this one said? LOL

:blush:

LOL, I misread it too. I was gonna say that we have plenty of those around here....

Thank God it wasn't just me with the dirty mind ;P

[Sister Fracas 5]

oh well... I don't get it... *shrug*

[Jenn! 918]

oh well... I don't get it... *shrug*

You know, roosters.

[Sister Fracas 5]

oh well... I don't get it... *shrug*

You know, roosters.

heh... no, I don't need help with one of those... LOL

I was trying to think what could be dirty about pressure cookers and stove tops...errr...