How to prepare Lentils:

Lentils fall into the category of food called “Pulses” which includes beans and  peas. Lentils appear to come in many varieties but they are all the same, with variety based on their color: brown, the most common, and Green which are French and sometimes referred to as "Puy."

There are also red, orange, black, and white lentils.

Lentils can be stored for up to one year if they are stored in a cool, dark place, but not refrigerated. If you have different types of lentils store them separately. They all require slightly different cooking times.

Basic cooking instructions for all varieties of lentils.

1 Cup of Lentils would be combined with 1 1/4 cups of water (or broth).

Inspect the lentils as there are sometimes small stones or "bits" of the harvesting. A common method would be to pour the lentils on a sheet or towel.

Rinse lentils with cool water.

Bring 1 1/4 cup of stock/water to a boil.

Add the lentils to the pot.

Stir while bringing the mix to a boil. 

Cover and then simmer on low temperature for about 20 minutes, but check consistency. 

Lentils can be used as a salad mix or as a side dish (similar to rice). Salad lentils would be cooked for a shorter period of time (15 minutes) to give them a hardy texture.