Red lentils are mostly produced in Turkey, Canada, USA and India.
According to India’s folk tradition, once upon a time, a mythic king tried to steal the holy cow of one of the seven Sages. During his effort to trap her, he wounded the animal and, at the point where the cow’s blood run, a red lentil sprouted.
The initial colour of lentil grains is brown and, after being husked, their familiar reddish colour appears.
The have a sweet taste and boil quickly because they are husked. Moreover, they are easier to digest due to their low content in insoluble (hard) vegetable fibres, suitable especially for people with irritable bowels.
They are cooked as a salad, a purée, as well as a soup.