Black Lentils / Beluga Lentils

Name: Black lentils, also called beluga lentils (Lens culinaris) — tiny, shiny, jet-black, round lentils that look like caviar, with a rich, earthy flavour and a firm texture that holds its shape when cooked. The name beluga comes from the sturgeon whose roe they resemble.

Description

Lentils (Lens culinaris) are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world, domesticated in the Near East some 9,000 to 13,000 years ago, and have been a staple pulse of the Mediterranean, Middle East and South Asia since. Canada is now the largest producer, followed by India.

Black beluga lentils are a modern, specialist variety, and are grown especially in Canada and the Mediterranean. The black skin, which is where much of their antioxidant content lies, is thin and edible, and they keep their colour and shape after cooking, which makes them a favourite for salads and plated dishes.

Main nutrition value

Black lentils are an excellent source of plant protein and fibre, and provide iron, folate, magnesium and potassium, with anthocyanin antioxidants in the black skins.

How best to be consumed

Black lentils cook quickly, and keep their shape.

1. Rinse, and simmer in plenty of water for 20 to 25 minutes, with no need for soaking, until tender but firm.
2. Toss warm with olive oil, lemon, herbs and vegetables for a salad, which suits their firm texture.
3. Serve as a base for fish, roast vegetables and meat, or in soups and stews.
4. Avoid salting early, if you want them very tender.
5. Store dried lentils in a cool, dry place.

Overconsumption could cause…

Black lentils are healthy in food amounts when cooked.

1. Bloating and gas from the fermentable carbohydrates (oligosaccharides) in pulses, particularly if you are not used to eating them, so build up gradually and drink water.
2. Allergic reactions in a small number of people allergic to legumes, and cross-reaction between chickpeas, lentils and peanuts in some.
3. Reduced absorption of iron, zinc and calcium from the phytates in dried pulses, which soaking and thorough cooking reduce.
4. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since pulses contain moderate purines, although plant purines seem to carry less risk than those from meat.

GroupsLentilsLegume family

Related foodsBrown LentilsChana Dal / Split ChickpeasFrench Green LentilsGreen LentilsMasoor DalMoong Dal

Wikipedia — Lentil, used for origin, naming and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lentil