These grey-green lentils are grown in the French region of Le Puy, are are thought to be superior in texture (which they retain after cooking) and taste and have a slightly peppery taste.
How to prepare dried puy lentils: Rinse & drain the Lentils. Then put them in a saucepan & cover with 3 x their volume of water (try using veggie stock and some white wine for extra flavour). Bring to the boil & simmer for 20-25 mins, until the lentils are firm to the bite. Drain & serve or add them to your favourite recipes.
Check out our recipe for roasted white fish with spicy puy lentils
]]>Bulgur is a common ingredient in cuisines of many countries of the Middle East and Mediterranean. It has a light, nutty flavour. It can be used as a substitute for rice, quinoa and couscous.
Bulgur wheat is a source of magnesium, manganese, vitamin B and iron. It’s also high in fibre as it’s made from a whole grain. It contain gluten, so should be avoided by people with coeliac disease.
We have coarse bulgur wheat in stock – Boil bulgur wheat in water for 10-15 mins, or put in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 20-30 mins, until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender. Soaking the bulgur will give you a chewier texture, which is perfect for salads like tabbouleh. It can also be boiled from raw in soups and stews.
See below for a link for a recipe you might want to try using bulgur wheat
]]>Brown rice is a whole grain. Brown rice is usually considered much healthier than white. Brown rice is a whole grain that contains the bran and germ. These provide fiber and several vitamins and minerals.
The health benefits of brown rice are largely due to it being a whole grain. According to HSPH, the fiber in brown rice helps lower cholesterol, moves waste through the digestive tract, promotes fullness, and may help prevent the formation of blood clots. Brown rice is considered a low "glycemic index" food.
To cook long grain brown rice you need 1 ¼ cups of water to 1 cup of brown rice. Bring to the boil then simmer for 45-55 minutes. If you soak the rice for a few hours before cooking this will reduce the cooking time to around 30 minutes.
See below for a link to a recipe you might want to try using brown rice
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Black beans are prized for their high protein and fibre content. They also contain several other key vitamins and minerals that are known to benefit human health.
Black beans need to be soaked for 4 – 6 hours or overnight. You then cook them for around 45 minutes to 1 hour.
See below for a recipe using the black turtle beans you might like to try:
Veggie chilli with roasted squash and black beans
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See link below for a recipe you might want to try using pearl barley:
Pearl barley risotto with chorizo and rosemary
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Rinse first then soak the beans in the water, either overnight at room temperature or through the quick soak method. Soaking speeds up the cook time, helps the beans to cook more evenly, and makes them easier to digest. Dried kidney beans need soaking and should be cooked carefully because they contain toxins on the outer skin when raw, which are rendered harmless by boiling
To cook, place the soaked kidney beans in a pan and cover with a fresh change of cold water, then bring to the boil. The beans must boil for ten minutes to destroy the toxin. After this, simmer until cooked (approximately 45 to 60 minutes), when they should have an even, creamy texture throughout.
For a delicious recipe using kidney beans check out this link
]]>Chickpea, besan or 'gram' flour, made from dried ground chickpeas, is widely used in Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine. We also stock this which is gluten free.
Dried chickpeas must be soaked before cooking. Chickpeas grow to 3 times their size once soaked. They need soaked overnight or for 8 hours. Then put them into a pot with water and simmer for around 1.5 hours. These can then be added to your recipe. It’s a good idea to do a batch of these which can then be frozen for ease the next time you want to use them. Pat them dry in a single layer, once dried pop them in the freezer.
See below for a link to a recipe using chickpeas:
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