Lentils come in at least 50 cultivated varieties, some split and others whole. They also come in various sizes and an array of colors including yellow, red, green, brown and black.

Hulled lentils such as red lentils cook faster than other varieties. In dry form, the disc-shaped legumes are closer to a salmon color than red. When cooked, the lentils turn golden and are perfect for soups or purees because they are delicate.

Locally, red lentils can be found in the bulk area at natural grocers and some of the smaller staple stores. For an Ethiopian-inspired recipe and more pictures, visit ForkFingersChopsticks.com.

About Andrea
Andrea Juarez is an award-winning writer. She writes on a variety of topics, however, her food blog ForkFingersChopsticks.com is the nexus of her love for food, research and culture. There you’ll find recipes for cooking an ingredient several ways. She makes cooking both fun and interesting.