Green and brown lentils are the ones that hold their shape. Unlike red lentils, which collapse into a puree, these stay whole and firm through cooking, which makes them useful in a completely different set of dishes.

No soaking required. Rinse and simmer for around twenty-five minutes.

Use them in salads with a sharp dressing, in soups where you want texture, in a lentil curry with tomato and spinach, or cooked down with rice into a khichdi that still has some bite to it.

Available at Curry Corner in North Melbourne.