Lentil was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East and then spread to Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and the Indo-Gangetic plain. The primary center of diversity for the domestic Lens culinaris as well as its wild progenitor L., and culinaris ssp. Orientalis is considered to be the Middle East.
When halved, dried lentils resemble their split pea cousins. Thought to have originated in the Near East or Mediterranean area, lentils have been a source of sustenance for our ancestors since prehistoric times. They are the oldest pulse crop known to man and one of the earliest domesticated crops.
Where do Lentils grow in the US?
Most lentil production in North America takes place in the Pacific Northwest, Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho, and up into Western Canada, where it has been grown since the 1930s as a rotation crop with wheat.
What is the scientific name for lentils?
Lentils receive their scientific name, Lens culinaris, from their curved lens-shaped seed. They are a type of legume that is native to Western Asia and North America. Lentils are one of the earliest domesticated crops, seen in the diets of ancient Rome and Egypt.
Another popular query is “What is the history of lentil?”.
Lentil artifacts have been found on archeological digs on the banks of the Euphrates River dating back to 8,000 B. And there is evidence of the Egyptians, Romans, and Hebrews eating this legume.
Lentil, ( Lens culinaris ), small annual legume of the pea family (Leguminosae) and its lens-shaped edible seed, which is rich in protein and one of the most ancient of cultivated foods. Of unknown origin, the lentil is widely cultivated throughout Europe, Asia, and North Africa but is little grown in the Western Hemisphere.
Where do split lentils come from?
As a food crop, the majority of world production comes from Canada and India, producing 58% combined of the world total. In cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, where lentils are a staple, split lentils (often with their hulls removed) known as daal are often cooked into a thick curry /gravy that is usually eaten with rice or rotis .