lentil

noun

1. Any of several plants of the genus Lens, especially Lens culinaris, from southwest Asia, that have edible, lens-shaped seeds within flattened pods.
2. The seed of these plants, used as food.

   “make a lentil stew”

   “a lentil salad”

   “In ancient Greece, lentils were believed to stimulate desire.”

   “A couple of vegetables, sambar (spicy and sour lentils and vegetables boiled with masalas and spices), rasam (a hot and fiery lentil soup-like dish) and curds (yoghurt) served with heaps of rice and eaten in that order. A non-vegetarian version of the “meals” can be found in “Military” hotels.”

   “Wild nuts, peas, vetch, a legume which had edible seed pods, and grasses were often combined with pulses like beans or lentils, the most commonly identified ingredient, and at times, wild mustard. To make the plants more palatable, pulses, which have a naturally bitter taste, were soaked, coarsely ground or pounded with stones to remove their husk.”

3. A small chocolate candy in an edible shell.

   “An enhanced focus on the brand's iconic color palette and the use of different shapes and sizes of M&M'S lentils across all touchpoints to prove that all together, we're more fun”