How to Make Lentil Flour

Step 1

Rinse your lentils well within a fine-mesh sieve. Remove any discolored lentils and any debris that may be in with the lentils.

Step 2

If you want to soak the lentils to decrease the effect of the anti-nutrients, you can do that at this stage.Place the lentils in a large bowl with enough water (room temp or cold) to cover them by 1-2 inches. Leave them to soak for around 4 hours, or overnight if preferred.Note* You can go one step further and essentially ’sprout’ the lentils, which is said to maximize the bioavailability of the vitamins, minerals, and nutrients within them. To sprout the lentils, you can follow the process outlined here - which will take 2-3 days.

Step 3

Once soaked, drain and rinse the lentils once more.

Step 4

Spread out across a large surface area (like baking trays lined with kitchen roll or a kitchen towel) and allow to either air-dry or you can place in a dehydrator or the oven (on the lowest temperature, with the door propped open with a wooden spoon) until fully dehydrated.If you've soaked the lentils, they will take longer to dehydrate - so be patient or use the oven/dehydrator method. As long as you use low heat, the lentils won't lose nutrients.

Step 5

This is technically an optional step, but if you want a more flavorful, nutty lentil flour, it's a good idea to toast the lentils lightly. You can do this with one of two methods.Place them in a large skillet and toast for a few minutes until fragrant but not burnt. This should take 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, lay the lentils across a baking tray and place in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 200ºC/400ºF, mixing them up halfway.Then allow the lentils to cool entirely.

Step 6

Transfer the lentils to your grinding tool of choice. You can use a high-speed food processor or blender (with a small jug), a mill, or a spice/coffee grinder. Depending on which tool you use, you may need to do this in multiple batches.If you’re using a food processor, it will take longer, and you’ll have to stop the machine to give it a break now and then. You also need to make sure that you add enough lentils to the jug, depending on the jug size. Otherwise, it simply won’t break down.

Step 7

Sieve the resulting powder, then return the larger bits to be re-ground. Once ready, transfer the lentil flour to a large airtight container, like a glass jar.

Step 8

Homemade lentil flour will last several months when stored in an airtight, moisture-free container. You can even store the flour in the freezer for up to a year.The shelf life really depends on the best-before date of the lentils that you used to make the flour in the first place.