Sweet Korean Lentils (2024)

4.96 from 221 votes

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I WON I WON I WON!

I'm so subtle, I know. I'm sure you have heard by now, but if not, Canadian Lentils chose me, along with 4 other awesome bloggers:Koko from Koko's Kitchen, Lalitha from Taylor Nutrition, Trudy from Eat Live Play, and Adam from Kook Channel, to go film a cooking show in P.E.I. with Food Network Star Chef Michael Smith. Oh boy, was that an experience!

My entry was this YouTube video where I featured one of my favourite lentil recipes, Lentil Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce.Apparently, the recipe and my quirky personality were well received, as before I knew it, I was on a terrifying little plane on my way to see Chef Michael Smith.

A full day of filming was dedicated to just little ol' me! At first, I wondered how in the world, it would take so long to film a 15 minute recipe, but the dayquickly flew by.

Filming in front of this giant crew and eight (yes eight) cameras pointing at me,was such a fun/stressful/scary/amazing/exciting/awkward experience... and I absolutely loved it. Someone give me a cooking show please. I want to do this all the time!

That's not to say it was easy, because it certainly wasn't.

The director and Chef Michael Smith would give me a 627instructions (or something like that): look here, say this, don't say that, don't talk about what you're doing, but talk about something, don't say that you are chopping an onion, tell me why you're chopping an onion... "errr... so that it's chopped?"

It went on like that. Then they follow up all of these instructions by saying"act natural". See how natural I am↓↓↓ haha!😁

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I would be chopping up an extremely underripe mango (apparently the camera can't tell)and then suddenly someone would run in to do a close-up of my mango choppingskills (which are hugely lacking p.s.).

Meanwhile, I'm inchingaway from the camera afraid of injuring the expensive technology with Michael's largechef knife and the camera man keeps chasing me getting closer and closer to myawkward chopping.

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Regardless of my chopping skills, and lack of knowing what to say, I seemed to work my way through filming, and I was even able to break the entire crew at one point and make them all burst into laughter when they weren't supposed to. FINALLY!!

Hardest part for sure was that there was a roomful of people that I was having a completely one-sided conversation with. I literally couldn't tell if anyone was remotely interested in what I was yabbering on about, because they couldn't respond.

At least I know thateveryoneenjoyed thefood. After every cut, the crew would swarm mytacos and quickly devour them all. Wooing the world onedelicious vegan meal at a time.Muhahaha!

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I can't reveal all the secrets, because there were some fun (and slightly evil) surprises they had in store for us, but I justcan't wait to see/ I am terrified to see the final videos!

Update: You can now see the final video here.

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Isn't that a lovely looking crew?? It's so much fancier than thecrew I am used to (me, myself, and I).

To celebrate the end of the festivities, Chef Michael Smith taught me how to use a knife to cut the top off of a champagne bottle.

A big thank you to Ethan from Food Bloggers of Canada for taking all of these photos (and driving my hungover self around P.E.I. the day after the shoot).. what... champagne... And to Rachel from Canadian Lentils for filming this video (and just generally being awesome).

I wanted to share a recipe in celebration of this super fun event, and since I already posted the Lentil Tacos with Avocado Cilantro Sauce, I decided to make a brand spanking new lentil recipe, cause can you ever have too many lentils? The answer is no.

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So here we go my friends. All you need is 15 minutes, a few go-to ingredients, and boom, flavour-packed Sweet Korean Lentils are on the table. These lentils are sweet and mildly spiced, a serious nod to Korean BBQ.

These Sweet Korean Lentils reminds me of when I lived in LA, and my roommate Ashely and I would frequent this little Korean restaurant. They always served this sweet and tangy beef. Now obvi I wasn't going to make that, but this is why I love lentils, anywhere a recipe calls for ground beef, you can pretty much sub lentils. A much healthier and friendlier option, and oh so delicious.

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To make Sweet Korean Lentils: mix all the sauciness together. Um, hello delicious looking sauce!

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Sauté up some onion.

Side note: Are you supposed to use signed wooden spoons, or are you supposed to display them? I decided the spoon would have a lot more love and appreciation if it was used in my daily life, so I am going to cook with it. My mom sometimes wishes I was more sentimental... oops.

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Now add your lentils and sauciness to the pan.

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Cover and simmer for around 10 minutes until the lentils are cooked and tender, and most of the sauce is absorbed.

Serve over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. I also used this as a lettuce wrap filling and my oh my it was scrumptious.

A big final thank you to Canadian Lentils and Chef Michael Smith for having me. ❤️

Bon Appetegan my friends.

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Sweet Korean Lentils (13)

4.96 from 221 votes

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All the flavours of Korean BBQ made vegan and gluten free! Sweet and mildly spiced, just 15 minutes to make!

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Total: 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4 Servings

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Ingredients

For the sauce:

For the Lentils:

  • 1 tablespoon light oil, (such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil)
  • ½ yellow onion,, chopped
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 2 green onions,, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • Cooked rice for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a medium bow, mix together all the sauce ingredients.

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  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until the onion softens and begins to brown. Now add the lentils and the sauce. Cover and bring to a gentle simmer until the lentils are cooked and tender, and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 8 to 10 minutes.

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  • Serve by spooning over rice, and garnishing with the green onions and sesame seeds.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving (recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6g | Sodium: 826mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 4.1mg

Did You Make This Recipe?Tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Insta and let the world see just how amazing plant-based creations can be!

Author: Sam Turnbull

Cuisine: Korean

Course: Main Course

Bon appetegan!

Sam.

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Sweet Korean Lentils (2024)

FAQs

Which lentils are sweet? ›

Red lentils won't hold their shape, so they aren't suitable for salads or grain bowls. Instead, use these sweet, nutty lentils to thicken soups or to make an Indian dish called “dal”.

What is special about puy lentils? ›

What makes Puy Lentils so special is their delicate thin membrane, caused by the special growing conditions which prevent them from maturing fully. This means the lentils are incredibly delicate, yet retain a firm bite. They also don't lose their texture and cook faster than other lentils.

Which lentils don t get mushy? ›

Which Lentils to Buy for Weeknight Meals. For weeknight meals, I like keeping green or brown lentils in our cupboard. These cook quickly and evenly without becoming mushy and are the most versatile for our recipes.

What are the tastiest lentils? ›

Black Beluga lentils have the most flavor, adding a rich, earthy taste and a firm texture that holds up well during cooking.

What is the healthiest lentil to eat? ›

Urad dal or black lentil

Urad dal or black lentil is one of the most nutritious pulses known to mankind. Low in fat and calories, Urad dal helps to improve digestion.

What are Puy lentils called in the USA? ›

Le Puy green lentil is a small, mottled, slate-gray/green lentil of the Lens esculenta puyensis (or L. culinaris puyensis) variety. In the US, this type of lentil may be grown and sold as French green lentils or Puy lentils.

Why are Puy lentils so expensive? ›

Puy lentils are a type of green lentil that are specifically grown in the Puy region of central France. They tend to be thought of as a superior (and therefore more expensive!) lentil. Brown and green lentils are great to use in the slow cooker, as they won't end up turning to mush when they're cooked for a long time.

What is the most expensive type of lentils? ›

French green (also known as Lentils du Puy, they're the most elegant — and the most expensive)

What is a substitute for puy lentils? ›

All types of lentils can usually be used interchangeably, although they may not have quite the same texture or, of course, colour. Orange, red and green lentils will turn mushier than puy lentils, which hold their shape and keep their texture well.

Which lentils are easiest to digest? ›

The easiest to digest are split yellow mung daal, chilka mung daal (split but with the green skins still on) and split red lentils. You can eat these daily without a problem, especially yellow mung daal. Ones that are moderately easy to digest include French puy lentils, toor daal, whole mung beans and adzuki beans.

Which lentils are sweetest? ›

Red and Yellow Lentils (split lentils)

The mildest, sweetest, and most 'tender' of the lentil varieties, red and yellow lentils are popular for use in soups and stews, especially when you want a soft texture.

Why not add salt to lentils? ›

For whole lentils, cook time is typically 15-20 minutes. For split red lentils, cook time is typically only about 5-7 minutes. Be sure to season with salt after cooking – if salt is added before, the lentils will become tough.

Do red lentils taste sweet? ›

These cute little red legumes have a mild, subtly sweet flavor. Because they break down while cooking, Red Lentils are perfect for dishes like soups, stews, curries and dips. They're very easy to prepare, needing no presoaking and cooking up in just 15 minutes!

Do red and yellow lentils taste different? ›

Ultimately, which of the two is better depends wholly on your preference. In conclusion, apart from their color, yellow and red lentils differ in their taste and nutritional value. Yellow lentils have no taste and are rich in iron. On the other hand, red lentils are slightly sweet and ricer in sodium and potassium.

What is the difference between red and puy lentils? ›

All types of lentils can usually be used interchangeably, although they may not have quite the same texture or, of course, colour. Orange, red and green lentils will turn mushier than puy lentils, which hold their shape and keep their texture well.

Which is better, red or green lentils? ›

In terms of nutrition, both red and green lentils offer similar benefits. While red lentils tend to have a slightly higher protein content, green lentils boast higher levels of certain minerals such as potassium and magnesium.

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