Lentils bulk load for covered hopper. The lentil (Lens culinaris or Lens esculenta) is an edible legume. It is a bushy annual plant known for its lens-shaped seeds. It is about 40 cm (16 in) tall, and the seeds grow in pods, usually with two seeds in each. As a food crop, the majority of world production comes from Canada, India, and Turkey. In cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, where lentils are a staple, split lentils (often with their hulls removed) are often cooked into a thick gravy that is usually eaten with rice or rotis. In 2016, global production of lentils was 6.3 million tonnes, led by Canada with 51% and India with 17% of the world total (table). Saskatchewan is the most productive growing region in Canada (95% of Canadian lentils grown). For 2016, Statistics Canada reported a national production yield of 3.2 million tonnes from 5,700,000 acres (2,300,000 ha) harvested. The Palouse region of eastern Washington and the Idaho panhandle, with its commercial center at Pullman, Washington, constitutes the most important lentil-producing region in the United States. Montana and North Dakota are also significant lentil growers.