Cooking Tips

This is a guide to cooking times for lentils and chickpeas according to how you like them – "al dente" or "soft" – or for what you are preparing.

Cooking lentils or chickpeas to "al dente" creates a lovely nutty texture and flavour for the food.
Remember you do not always have to cook them in boiling water first. In dishes such as soups, casseroles or pasta sauces you simply add the raw lentils and they will cook in the hot liquid as it simmers. Chickpeas often need to be partially cooked first and then will finish cooking in such dishes.
Timesaving tip: When cooking or presoaking chickpeas make a big batch, divide and place in freezer bags and freeze. They are then available for more immediate use.

Lentil cooking tips

	For an “al dente” lentil		For a soft lentil
	Cooking time in boiling water	Perfect for	Cooking time in boiling water	Perfect for
Red lentils	5 mins	Dips, salads or pasta sauces	10 mins	Lentil mash, pureed soup, dhal, burgers, casseroles
Green lentils	10 mins	Soups, salads or pasta sauces	20 mins	Lentil mash, pureed soup, curries, casseroles, burgers or cakes
French green lentils, Black lentils, Spanish brown lentils, Persian red lentils	5-10 mins	Soups, salads or as an accompaniment to fish, poultry or lamb (any dish you want the lentil to hold its shape)

	For an “al dente” chickpea		For a soft chickpea
	Cooking time in boiling water	Perfect for	Cooking time in boiling water	Perfect for
Chickpeas Presoaked overnight	5 mins	Soups, salads, curries, tagines, casseroles	15 mins	Pureed soup, Hommus dip, burgers, curries, tagines, casseroles
Chickpeas Raw	30 mins	Soups, salads, curries, tagines, casseroles	60 mins	Pureed soup, Hommus dip, burgers, curries, tagines, casseroles