Can green lentils replace brown ones for cooking mujadara?

I’m planning to make mujadara, a dish that usually uses brown lentils. I only have green lentils, which I’ve never tried. Will green lentils work just as well? How will it change the dish?

Yes, they’re pretty much the same thing.

Toby said:
Yes, they’re pretty much the same thing.

Thank you so much! I was worried it might taste totally different.

Yeah, you’ll be fine! I love mujadara!

Vanya said:
Yeah, you’ll be fine! I love mujadara!

Thanks! This is my first time trying it out. Fingers crossed!

Should be fine! Brown lentils (probably whole masoor) are actually red lentils with skins on. Green lentils might not break down as much, but if you want them softer, you can blend a bit and mix it back in.

@Wendell
Interesting, I didn’t know that! Where did you learn brown lentils are just red ones with skins on? I’d like to check that out.

Van said:
@Wendell
Interesting, I didn’t know that! Where did you learn brown lentils are just red ones with skins on? I’d like to check that out.

Red lentils are split, while green, brown, and black lentils are whole. Split dal loses its skin, making it easier to break down. If you look up “whole masoor” or “masoor dal,” you’ll see what I mean. Indian cooking has a lot to teach about legumes!

@Wendell

Red lentils are split, while green, brown, and black lentils are whole.

Yes, I know that, thanks.

Split dal loses its skin, making it easier to break down.

Right, I was aware of that as well.

If you look up “whole masoor” or “masoor dal,” you’ll see what I mean.

What do you mean exactly?

Indian cooking has a lot to teach about legumes.

Are you suggesting only Indian cuisine knows about legumes? I was just asking where you got your information. It’s not like I’m clueless about this stuff.

EDIT:

Sorry if I rubbed people the wrong way. I didn’t mean to come across badly. I’d like some guidance if I did something wrong. I’m only asking for verification. Also, being from the Middle East, I know a bit about legumes myself.

@Van
If you’re serious, it sounds like you misread their tone and then got defensive. You ended up sounding passive-aggressive instead.

If you’re really curious about lentils, maybe try looking it up rather than pushing someone who’s just sharing their knowledge.

@Bevin
Thanks for the feedback.

I’ve spoken to people who’ve read our exchange, and while they agree that maybe I misinterpreted the tone, they don’t see my questions as hostile. I think it’s easy for misunderstandings like this to happen online. I’ll work on my approach.

I’m genuinely interested in their source. I’ve cooked with lentils for years, so it’s not strange to ask where someone learned something new.

@Van
You seemed rude when you assumed they were being condescending, even though they were actually being pretty friendly and informative.

Quoting them with ‘yes I know that, thanks’ came across as sarcastic. And asking if only Indian people know about legumes was odd—nothing in their reply implied that. Indian cuisine just happens to feature lots of legumes.

The forum isn’t overly sensitive; maybe you’re being a bit reactive. Reread the thread and see if you can spot where things went off the rails.

@Skyler
Thanks for sharing your perspective.

I’m not trying to bring this up again. I’ve already accepted the feedback from others and asked for forgiveness for any offense caused. I’ve reflected on my response and taken it to heart.

Is there anything else you expect from me?

@Van
This is actually my first comment here. I saw the thread pop up and just thought I’d chime in as a neutral observer, hoping to help you see how it came across to outsiders.

You seemed unsure about why things got heated, so I figured a bit of outside input might help.

@Van
I’m sorry if my response came off the wrong way! I didn’t mean to sound condescending. I was just giving general info.

For sources, I think I first came across it in Madhur Jaffrey’s cookbook ‘A Taste of India.’ It’s also explained in her book ‘World Vegetarian.’ Ashley from Myheartbeets talks about this in some of her recipes with brown lentils/whole masoor, though she’s just a food blogger.

If you’ve read something that contradicts this or think I’m mistaken, let me know! I don’t want to spread incorrect info.

@Wendell
Thank you for the reply. It’s less about being upset and more about trying to get clarity. I guess I jumped to conclusions about your tone, but I’ll look into those sources. Thanks for clarifying.