# Lentil varieties **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619 "2017-03-07T14:08:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619/1 "2017-03-07T14:08:58Z")
We make lentil stew quite frequently – just simmer lentils with meat, veggies, and seasoning for an hour or two. It’s quite good and hearty. This time we bought red lentils, on a whim, and cooked them the same way. It turned out differently, but even better, I think – the red lentils sort of pureed themselves, maybe because they’re smaller, and the final dish looked more like Pakistani haleem (a favorite of mine) then a regular lentil stew. It was yellowish rather than red. I was very pleased and we might get red lentils more often. Any other experiences with different kinds of lentils? ---
**Author:** ![ashtayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@ashtayk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ashtayk)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619/2 "2017-03-07T16:21:30Z")
There are lots of different kinds of lentils and they all taste quite different. Here is a list of the main ones with mostly Hindi names and English equivalents where I know them.(Dal is the Hindi word for lentils) 1. Toor (Arhar) Dal - also called split pigeon peas. Yellow meniscus shaped. Takes the longer to cook than other lentils 2. Masoor Dal - Pink and tiny. Cooks really quickly. Amongst the highest in protein in dals. Lovely sweetish taste right after cooking. Beware of opening a container of this when cooled - especially if you take it to lunch to the office. Has a farty kind of smell. Still delicious to eat though. Also comes in whole varieties although the split ones are more popular 3. Urad Dal - Comes in multiple varieties. Its white in color with a black skin that comes after after cooking or soaking. Comes in split or whole varieties. A tad sticky after cooking. Is the main dal in “Dosas” - a thin crispy crepe. If you have not eaten a dosa in yet, get yourself over to a decent Indian restaurant - you will not regret it. 4. Chana Dal - Holds shape really well after cooking and resists becoming soupy unlike the others. Often confused with Arhar this is thicker and is more curvy on the convex side. ---
**Author:** ![Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/channing_idaho_banks/32/250_2.png) [@Channing\_Idaho\_Banks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Channing_Idaho_Banks)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619/3 "2017-03-07T16:32:07Z")
Black Beluga lentils are delicious, too. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619/4 "2017-03-07T16:46:03Z")
French [Puy lentils](http://www.french-green-lentils.com) make a really fantastic lentil salad, especially with walnut oil. I’m nursing along a years-old bottle of Perigordien walnut oil in the refrigerator just to use on the rare occasions when I get fancy salad-quality lentils. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > the red lentils sort of pureed themselves, maybe because they’re smaller Nah, [because they’re shelled](http://www.crimson-lentils.com). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619/5 "2017-03-07T16:53:40Z")
[Castellanas](http://burcol.es/lentejas/lenteja-castellana/) (Castillian) are the default in Spain; there have been other varieties cropping up but people tend to get pretty miffed when “they don’t cook right”. For some reason, we are all conscious that there are a lot of kidney-shaped beans and they are useful for different recipes but we expect our chickpeas and lentils to always be the same. These lentils come in a couple of shades of greenish brown, if you see a yellow one that means it’s become shelled accidentally. Another variety called [pardina](http://burcol.es/lentejas/lenteja-pardina/) (lit. “light brown”) is less popular but also common. If a pack of lentils says “mixed”, it contains both of the above. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619/6 "2017-03-07T17:15:40Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > Nah, [because they’re shelled](http://www.crimson-lentils.com). Good to know! Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lentil-varieties/781619/7 "2017-03-07T18:10:13Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > French [Puy lentils](http://www.french-green-lentils.com) make a really fantastic lentil salad, especially with walnut oil. I’m nursing along a years-old bottle of Perigordien walnut oil in the refrigerator just to use on the rare occasions when I get fancy salad-quality lentils. > Nah, [because they’re shelled](http://www.crimson-lentils.com). Do they get sold in the shells? If so what are they called.