عدس

What it means

عدس (adas) means lentils. The word entered Persian from Arabic عدس, which shares roots with other Semitic languages, and has been part of the Persian kitchen for centuries. Lentils in Iran come in several varieties, most commonly brown and green, and the word adas covers all of them without distinction. A close related term you may encounter is دال (dâl), which is borrowed from Hindi/Urdu and refers specifically to split lentils in the context of South Asian cuisine, but in everyday Iranian Persian, adas is the word you will always hear.

How to use it

• عدسی برام بپز. (adasi baram bepaz.) “Cook me some lentil soup.”
• از عدس خوشم میاد چون سریع آماده میشه. (az adas khosham miyâd chon sari’ âmâde mishe.) “I like lentils because they cook fast.”
• برنج عدس داری؟ (berenji adas dâri?) “Do you have lentil rice?”
• عدس رو قبل از پختن بخیسون. (adas ro qabl az pokhtan bekhisun.) “Soak the lentils before cooking.”

Cultural note

Adas polo, lentil rice topped with caramelised onions and often served with raisins and dates, is one of the most beloved dishes in Iranian home cooking. It is also a traditional meal served at funerals and memorial gatherings, carrying a quiet association with comfort and mourning. Lentils are valued in Iranian cuisine for their affordability, high protein content, and the way they absorb spices like turmeric and cumin.

References

• Dehkhoda
• Vajehyab