Is there difference in flavor between red, yellow and brown lentils?
There is a subtle difference, it can also be traced to the difference in cooking time/technique and style. Red, or orange colored lentils are referred to as French Lentils. They cook quicker than the brown kind and when cooked have a creamy texture – meaning they kind of break down and become less formed. Brown lentils tend to be a bit larger, have their skins, and are best in dishes that require the lentil texture (more formed). I like to use brown lentils in soups and stews and for some middle eastern dishes where the lentils are the protein. When making a dish with lentils being the ‘side’ or as part of a casserole, I like the french lentils – the are really tasty with chicken and served with yogurt on top. Yellow lentils can also be creamy, although, honestly I do not use them. Split peas come with skin on and do take quite a lot longer to cook. They are not as tasty as lentils if cooked without meat or meat substitute.
Cooking times are similar, though split peas might require slightly more cooking. Though I suppose they might be interchangeable in some circumstances, the tastes are rather distinctly different, and you usually find either split pea soup recipes, or lentil soup recipes. Lentils seem to be a bit more versatile, and are often used in salads and veggie patties. A variety of lentils exists with colors that range from yellow to red-orange to green, brown and black. Red, white and yellow lentils are decorticated, i.e., they have their skins removed. There are large and small varieties of many lentils (e.g., Masoor Lentils). Lentils are sold in many forms, with or without the skins, whole or split. The seeds have a short cooking time (especially for small varieties with the husk removed, such as the common red lentil) and a distinctive earthy flavor. Like other legumes, lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber, but they have the added advantage of cooking quickly. Lentils have a
