Unlike other legumes, lentils do not need to be soaked, so they are convenient when you are putting together a relatively quick meal

　　

Ingredients

1/2 cup lentils, preferably French

　　2 cups water

　　Salt

　　

Step 1

Put the lentils in a small pot with the water, bring to a boil, and cook until tender, adding a little more water, if necessary. That could take anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes. If all the water hasn’t been absorbed by the time the lentils are cooked, drain it off. Season the lentils with salt to taste.

　　

With an Indian Accent

Step 2

For an Indian accent, add to a pot of 1/2 cup lentils and 1 cup water: 1/8 cinnamon stick, 1/4 bay leaf, 1 peeled garlic clove, 1 thin slice peeled ginger, a pinch of turmeric, and salt and pepper. Top with a small sprinkling of toasted cumin. This is good with rice.

　　The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones. Copyright © 2009 by Judith Jones. Published by Knopf. All Rights Reserved.Judith Jones is senior editor and vice president at Alfred A. Knopf. She is the author of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food and the coauthor with Evan Jones (her late husband) of three books: The Book of Bread; Knead It, Punch It, Bake It!; and The Book of New New England Cookery. She also collaborated with Angus Cameron on The L. L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook, and has contributed to Vogue, Saveur, and Gourmet magazines. In 2006, she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in New York City and Vermont.