Here's one of the recipes I promised. When I pulled out my cookbooks, I realized that I could only remember one of the recipes that I've made before. I know I've made one from my soup cookbook, but I couldn't remember which one it was, so I'm only posting the one I remember. This one I made recently, with some changes to use what I had on hand at the time, and both my DH, who isn't wild about lentils, and I enjoyed it. From Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison Red Lentil Soup with Lime 2 cups split red lentils, picked over and rinsed several times 1 tablespoon turmeric 4 tablespoons butter Salt 1 large onion, finely diced, about 2 cups 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds or 1 teaspoon ground mustard (I just plain forgot this, but I didn't notice it missing) 1 bunch chopped cilantro, about 1 cup Juice of 3 limes or to taste 1 large bunch spinach leaves, chopped into small pieces (I used mostly French Sorrel, with the little bit of spinach that I had on hand mixed in.) 1 cup cooked rice (I subbed quinoa, since I had some leftover from a previous meal) 4 to 6 tablespoons yogurt Put the lentils in a soup pot with 2 1/2 quarts water, the turmeric, 1 tablespoon of the butter, and 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft and falling apart, about 20 minutes. puree for a smooth and nicer-looking soup. (An immersion blender is a great plus here.) While the soup is cooking, prepare the onion flavoring: In a medium skillet over low heat, cook the onion in 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter with the cumin and mustard, stirring occasionally. When soft, about the time the lentils are cooked or after 15 minutes, add the cilantro and cook for a minute more. Add the onion mixture to the soup, then add the juice of 2 limes. Taste, then add more if needed to bring up the flavors. The soup should be a tad sour. Just before serving, add the last tablespoon of butter to a wide skillet. When foamy, add the spinach, sprinkle with salt, and cook just long enough to wilt. If the rice is warm, lace a spoonful in each bowl. If itÂs leftover rice, add it to the soup and let it heat through for a minute. Serve the soup, divide the spinach among the bowls, and swirl in a spoonful of yogurt. (For this last part, I didn't want to fool with putting the greens into the individual bowls, so I just stirred them into the soup just before serving. I did do the sautee thing with them, though, and had the yogurt out for us to add to our bowls to taste. Sally

Green lentils don't look exactly green, but are more tan with a tinge of green, although fresh ones are more green than just a tinge. The range of color will go from green, to a tinge of green, to golden - depending on how long they have been exposed to ultraviolet light while in storage or shelved. They are about 1/4-inch in size. These are the ones most commonly available. Brown lentils are smaller than green lentils and more plump. The color is russet brown. Red lentils (almost salmon color) are about 1/8-inch in size. Hold their shape better for use in a salad. Then there are the tiny French Green Lentils that are smaller and darker than regular green lentils. -Grainlady Here is a link that might be useful: photos of lentils

Here's one from an old episode of The Splendid Table. It was presented by one of the guests of the show. I've made it before and loved it. I should make it again now that it's getting cooler. The comments preceding the recipe are from the Splendid Table website, which is where I got the recipe. Slow-Roasted Bell Pepper with Red Lentils Bhuna hua simla mirch aur masoor ki dal Featured on the November 7, 2009 episode Reprinted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. Copyright � 2008 Published by Workman Publishing Company. Many of us, myself included, automatically reach for that onion sitting on the counter as a starting point to build a base for sauces, stews, soups, and even stir-fries. We often overlook the bell pepper (known as simla mirch because most of them come from Simla, a picturesque resort just north of Delhi, in the foothills of the Himalayas), which bestows an uncanny, slightly smoky sweetness to a dish. I love the consistency of this curry, and often serve it as a soup course with crusty European bread. Don't hesitate to dunk the bread in it (I am sure Ms. Manners would do the same). Makes 5 cups 1 cup skinned split brown lentils (salmon-colored in this form, masoor dal), picked over for stones 2 tablespoons canola oil 1 large green bell pepper, cut in half lengthwise, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped 2 to 4 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, to taste, stems removed, thinly sliced crosswise (do not remove the seeds) 1 medium-size tomato, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems 1. Place the lentils in a medium-size saucepan. Fill the pan halfway with water and rinse the lentils by rubbing them between your fingertips. The water will become cloudy. Drain this water. Repeat three or four times, until the water remains relatively clear; drain. Now add 3 cups water and bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium heat. Skim off and discard any foam that forms on the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. 2. While the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a medium-size skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and chiles, and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the bell pepper initially releases its water and then starts to brown, and the hot chiles smell pungent (adequate ventilation will help clear the air), 10 to 12 minutes. 3. Stir in the tomato, salt, and turmeric, and scrape the bottom of the skillet to deglaze it, releasing the browned bits. Pour in 2 cups water and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the tomato has softened and turn slightly pulpy, 5 to 8 minutes. 4. Once the lentils are tender, pour the bell pepper sauce into the pan. Raise the meat to medium and continue to simmer the dal, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors mingle and the sauce thickens slightly, 5 to 8 minutes. 5. Stir in the cilantro, and serve. I'm one to buy various kinds of lentils when I'm at Central Market or Whole Foods, and then, promptly forget I have them once I get the home. I want start using them more frequently. They really are healthy, and they're one of the few legumes that can be made relatively quickly from scratch. Sally

Aha - you're from Australia :) That's why you are posting a winter soup in August when I think its still summer! Thanks for the recipe, it sounds good to me - how much curry powder do you use - or do you just put it in 'to taste'?