Split Yellow Lentils

Name: Split yellow lentils — skinned, split lentils with a pale yellow colour, a mild, earthy flavour, and a soft, creamy texture. In Indian shops, the name can also refer to dals made from other pulses, such as split pigeon peas (toor dal) or yellow split peas, so it is worth reading the label.

Description

Yellow lentils are a type of Lens culinaris bred with a yellow seed, particularly in Canada, and are used in Indian, Middle Eastern, African and Southeast Asian cooking. In Ethiopia, split yellow pulses are used in the stew kik wot, and in India, the dals made from yellow split pulses are staples of everyday meals.

They cook in about 20 minutes, and hold their shape slightly better than red lentils, but become creamy if cooked longer. They are often used in soups, dals, baby food and purees.

Main nutrition value

Split yellow lentils are an excellent source of plant protein and fibre, and provide folate, iron, magnesium and potassium, with little fat.

How best to be consumed

Split yellow lentils cook quickly, and become creamy.

1. Rinse, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes without soaking until soft.
2. Cook into dal, with turmeric, cumin, garlic and a tadka, or into soups and stews.
3. Mash for baby food, dips or fritters.
4. Check the packet to see which pulse it contains.
5. Store dried in a cool, dry place.

Overconsumption could cause…

Split yellow 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. Gout flare-ups in people with gout, since pulses contain moderate purines, although plant purines seem to carry less risk than those from meat.
4. Reduced absorption of iron, zinc and calcium from the phytates in dried pulses, which soaking and thorough cooking reduce.

GroupsLentilsLegume family

Related foodsBlack Lentils / Beluga LentilsBrown LentilsChana Dal / Split ChickpeasFrench Green LentilsGreen LentilsMasoor Dal

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