|
Cooking Dried Beans:
Most beans and peas have to be softened by soaking them in water
before they are cooked. Small beans, like lentils, split peas
or mung beans do not need to be soaked first, though. All beans
should be sorted through before soaking or cooking; check for
pebbles, and remove any discolored or misshapen beans. After this
process, immerse the beans in cold water to cleanse them. Pour
off the water and repeat this until it comes up without residue.
To soak beans:
There are a couple of popular ways to soak beans. The first method
is to cover the beans with 2-3 times their water and soak them
overnight or for at least 12 hours. In warm weather, the safest
place to do this is in the refrigerator, because beans spoil easily.
For the same reason, you'll want to avoid soaking the beans on
a burner or near a burner's pilot light.
The second, less time-consuming, method is to cover the beans
with 2-3 times their volume in water and bring the water to a
vigorous boil in a covered pot. Let it boil for two minutes, remove
from the heat source, and let the beans rest in the water for
an hour or two.
After either method, pour off the remaining water and rinse the
beans before cooking.
To cook beans:
Add the correct amount of water (see listing below). Bring the
beans to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Once the heat
has been lowered, begin timing it according to the listing below.
You may want to periodically check the water level to make certain
it hasn't fallen too low; if it has, simply replenish with enough
water to cover the beans, and boil until thoroughly cooked.
Water Ratios and Cooking Times for Different Beans
| Variety |
Water:bean |
Cooking time |
| Aduki Beans (a.k.a. Adzuki) |
3 1/4:1 |
45 minutes |
| Black Beans |
3:1 |
1 1/2 hours |
| Black-eyed peas |
3:1 |
1 hour |
| Black Turtle Beans |
5:1 |
2 1/2 - 3 hours |
| Canellini beans |
4:1 |
45 minutes |
| Chick Peas/Garbanzos |
6:1 |
2 1/3 - 3 hours |
| Fava Beans |
4:1 |
45 minutes |
| Great Northern Beans |
3 1/2:1 |
2 hours |
| Lentils (green, brown or yellow) |
3:1 |
45 minutes |
| Mung Beans |
4:1 |
45 minutes |
| Navy Beans |
3:1 |
1 hour |
| Pinto Beans |
3:1 |
45 minutes |
| Red kidney beans |
3:1 |
1 - 1 1/2 hours |
| Red lentils |
2:1 |
15 - 20 minutes |
| Soy Beans |
5:1 |
3 hours |
| Split peas (green) |
3:1 |
45 min. - 1 hr. |
| Split peas (yellow) |
3:1 |
30 minutes |
Cooking Grains
Before cooking grains, you'll want to rinse and sort them. As
with beans, discard any discolored or misshapen grains. Rinse
under cool water, until all the residue has been washed off.
To enhance the flavor of grains, one can add vegetarian bouillon,
tamari, spices or different kinds of oils. Adding a small amount
of sesame oil, for example, will bring out the Asian elements
in a Thai or Chinese meal.
When cooking grains, put the grains, water and any additional
seasonings in a pot on medium-high heat. When the water begins
to boil, turn down the temperature so it's simmering, put on a
tight-fitting lid and allow it to gently boil until ready.
Water Ratios and Cooking Times for Different Grains
| Variety |
Water:grain |
Cooking time |
| Barley (whole) |
3:1 |
75 minutes |
| Buckwheat (kasha) |
2:1 |
15 minutes |
| Bulgur wheat |
2:1 |
20 minutes |
| Corn meal |
4:1 |
25 minutes |
| Cracked wheat |
2:1 |
25 minutes |
| Medium-grain brown rice |
2:1 |
45 minutes |
| Millet |
3:1 |
45 minutes |
| Quinoa |
2:1 |
15 minutes |
| Wehani rice |
21/4:1 |
1 hour |
| Whole wheat berries |
3:1 |
2 hours |
| Wild rice |
3:1 |
1 hour |
|
Cooking Beans & Grains