Lentils were probably one of the first pulse crops to be domesticated and originated in the fertile crescent of the Near East. They date back to the beginnings of agriculture itself. The earliest carbonized remains (10 000 years old) were unearthed at Tel Mureybit on the banks of the River Euphrates in Northern Syria.

The cultivation of lentils spread with Neolithic agriculture to Greece and Southern Bulgaria and had reached Crete by 6000 B.C. By the Bronze Age they were known in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Germany and even France.

Lentils were highly esteemed in Pharoanic Egypt; a paste of lentils was found in the 12th dynasty tombs at Thebes (2400-2200 B.C) and the preparation of lentil soup is shown in a fresco from the time of Ramses II (1200 B.C). A ship carrying an Egyptian obelisk to Rome in the reign of the Emperor Caligula is said to have carried lentils as packing.

They were well known in ancient Greece as a poor man's food. A popular saying applied to the nouveau riche at the time was "he doesn't like lentils any more."
Lentils are mentioned in the Bible. The most famous reference is in Genesis Chapter 25 when Esau sold his birthright for bread and a "mess of pottage" made of red lentils. This dish is popularly held to be the same as the famous Near Eastern 'mujaddarah'.

Lentils were cultivated by the Assyrians. There are references to them  being grown in Merodach-Baladan's garden at Babylon in the 8th century B.C.

The crop spread eastward into India and China at a very early stage. The earliest finds in India have recently been discovered at the Neolithic site at Chirand in Bihar State dated between 2500 and 1800 B.C.

The introduction of lentils into the New World was made by the Spanish and Portuguese, probably at the beginning of the 16th century but they were not introduced into the USA until the First World War.

Medicinal properties of lentils have been mentioned in several old herbals. The 16th century writer Dondonaeus recommended lentils as part of the diet in monasteries as he believed that they dampened the sexual appetite; Nicholas Culpeper, the 17th century astrologer/physician, wrote that lentils
were governed by the planet Venus. He went on to say that when eaten whole with the skin, lentils 'hind the body and stop looseness, but the liquid they are boiled in loosens the belly." Other old herbals report that lentils "thicken the blood" which may relate to their high iron content.

In parts of modern Europe, lentils are ground and mixed with barley flour and salt and marketed as an invalid or infant food (e.g., 'Ervatenta' and 'Revalanta') and eaten as a porridge.

Lentils are one of the staple food products of the Near East and India (where it is an important source of protein for the many vegetarians). In America they are generally used in soups as in Europe and the Near East where they are also used in stews, salads and with other food. Lentil salad often forms part of the French hors d'oeuvre table and in Germany puréed lentils may replace potatoes as an accompaniment for pork and other meats. There  are  many other variations as this book shows.

Availability and Purchasing Guide

Lentils are available throughout the year. They are classified according to their size, the color of the seed coat and the color of the inside. There are three common forms:
•  large-seeded types with pale green seed coats
•  Smaller types with darker seed coats (brown or nearly black)
•  Small (frequently split) bright
orange or red lentils from which the seed coat has been removed.

Nutrition

Low in fat but rich in carbohydrates, protein, calcium, iron, phosphorus and  B vitamins. The sprouted lentils are a good source of vitamin C.

3½ oz (100 g) dry lentils = 340 calories.

Storage

They can be kept almost indefinitely (in fact, their cooking quality tends to improve with age) but should be kept in a tight-fitting container as they are liable to be attacked by weevils. Age tends to darken their skins, especially if they are kept in the light.

Basic Preparation

Lentils should be carefully picked over, discarding any foreign material and imperfect seeds. Wash well and remove any seeds that float. It is not imperative to soak them, but they are better for it (soak in four times as much water as lentils). 1 cup of lentils expands to 2-2½ cups after cooking. The cooking time depends on the locality in which they were grown and their age but unsoaked lentils should be tender after boiling for 20-30 minutes and previously soaked lentils take about half the time.