Beluga lentil
Lens culinaris · Legume
Top 10 pairings
The beluga lentil is a small, jet-black lentil whose tiny, glossy, near-spherical seeds glisten like beluga caviar — the resemblance that gave it its name. It holds its shape beautifully when cooked, staying firm and slightly al dente while turning the cooking water inky, and carries a richer, earthier, more pronounced flavour than the common brown lentil, which has made it a favourite for salads, plated sides and warm grain bowls.
Picking a good onedrag
Whole, dry and evenly colouredBroken, dusty, damp or musty
Ordinary bagEverydayFor dal, soup or salad, simmer until tender all the way through. Raw or half-cooked lentils are indigestible.
The seed itselfMostly whole, a few chipped coats
Shake of the bagPour freely, light dust on fingers
Smell in the bagAlmost nothing, plain and papery
These cues are Lentil's, and hold across its varieties; where this one differs, its own page says so.