Recipes
Lentils in a pressure cooker
Cooking lentils in a pressure cooker is the fastest way to prepare the classic Christmas side dish. Let's find out how!
Cooking lentils is not as simple as it may seem, so much so that we often use ready-made ones. In reality the best way is to opt for cooking lentils in a pressure cooker. This seemingly diabolical tool is perfect for legumes, stew and ragù. In fact, pressure cooker cooking times are usually halved or even reduced to a third, which allows us to have more time to dedicate to other activities.
Once cooked, it is possible to prepare not only the classic side dish , but also many other recipes that see this legume as the protagonist. Of all the recipes with the pressure cooker, this is by far one of the simplest: we recommend it to bring a perfectly cooked dish to the table!
Ingredients
For the lentils in a pressure cooker
- Dried lentils – 250 g
- Onion – 1/2
- Carrot – 1
- Celery – 1 stalk
- Extra virgin olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- Laurel – 1 leaf
- Salt – to taste
Preparation
How to cook lentils in a pressure cooker
First of all, wash the lentils under running water and check that no stones or impurities are hidden. Then transfer them to a bowl and cover them abundantly with water. Let them come to their senses for at least an hour.
Coarsely chop celery , carrot and onion and brown them in oil for two minutes. Carry out this operation directly in the pressure cooker. Then add the lentils , let them flavor for a few moments and then cover with the broth. Also add the bay leaf, close the pressure cooker and keep the heat high. When it starts to whistle, lower it to the minimum and cook for 13-15 minutes after the whistle . It is always better to cook a little less and possibly continue cooking later rather than having overcooked lentils.
Once the cooking time has elapsed, open the steam vent valve, being careful not to burn yourself, and when the safety valve has dropped, open the lid. Add a generous teaspoon of salt and wait 5 minutes for it to dissolve.
Drain the lentils from the cooking broth and use them in your recipes.
To make the lentils tastier we have added vegetables to the cooking broth but if you want you can also simply cook them in water. The idea of adding 1 tablespoon of tomato paste during cooking (or 2 tablespoons of sauce) is also excellent. The important thing is to always add salt after cooking so that the skin of the legumes does not harden. b
Here is a video with all the steps to make this too often mistreated dish.
You can then cook the lentils in the electric pressure cooker . These appliances usually allow you to further reduce recipe preparation times. In this specific case it is not necessary to soak the legumes . 20 minutes will be enough, which the device will automatically calculate from when the pressure is reached, and that's it.
Should lentils be soaked?
There are heated discussions about it. In fact, some argue that lentils should not be soaked before cooking. The answer is actually not unique. Hulled lentils , like red ones, should never be soaked before cooking, even more so in a pressure cooker where they will cook in less than 10 minutes.
If the lentils are small like the local Colfiorito or Castelluccio varieties, they should not be soaked before cooking. Since it is difficult to generalize, rely on what is stated on the packaging. For cooking times, start by halving them.
Conservation
Cooked lentils will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week and can be used in recipes just like those sold ready in a jar.
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