Hmmmm, I might stock up on some when I go grocery shopping today.....curious to see if my market has raised the price.

Well our market is carrying them for .79 cents a pound as of today.

I wonder if the so called shortage affects only a certain kind of lentils. Apparently, the type called channa dal is most popular in India. Perhaps this is the lentil affected by the export ban.

I believe channa dal is not a true lentil (Lens culinaris or Lens esculenta). I haven't yet been able to understand the nomenclature of Indian lentils. I think my problem is that the word dal is often, but not always, synonymous with lentil. Many dals however, are peas (Pisum sativum), beans (Phaseolus species) or other legumes. Dried, split and skinned, they resemble each other in appearance and culinary uses. At least that's how I understand it so far.

There is a lot I don't know about lentils. I'm still trying to learn.

Jim

Has anyone tried them sprouted? They make really nice sprouts to eat raw.

Here is a picture of me harvesting my beluga lentils... the little black things in the picture. I found that they can be harvested similarly to wheat... threshing and etc. one plant for me made about enough for 4 meals for one person, but it's the first time I've gotten them to grow.

Jim,
Here is the web site that will give you a good information about lentils.www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html

Love your basket, Heathen. Is that sweet grass?

I'm wondering if the price increases are just on the yellows? I checked lentil prices at two different locales, yesterday, and neither had any unusual price hikes on the greens and reds.

I note, too, in the original article that the reporter had checked with small, Asian specialty shops, and that might make a difference too.

I beleive the price increase should be for Lentil known as Tuver or Toor for both of its whole seeds as well as for splits (known as Dal).

The lentils most commonly sold here are the Puy variety from France and the brown variety from central Italy. These are always expensive anyway (250g of Puy lentils will set you back just over Â3).

Lentils seem easy enough to grow if you have the space for them. Seems a pity that there aren't more countries engaged in their cultivation. They are a highly underrated food source in the West.