Soaking and cooking dried legumes: not rocket science!

TORONTO (PasseportSanté.net) February 29, 2008 – Though eye-catching, the bags of dried beans and peas on grocery store shelves raise many questions in the mind of the consumer. Here’s a quick guide for anyone wondering how to cook legumes sold in bulk or in bags.¹.

Soaking

Many dried legumes need to be soaked in water for a while, to facilitate cooking… and digestion! Note that dry lentils and dried split peas do not need to be soaked. However, they must be rinsed before cooking them.

There are three methods of soaking:

• “Night” method : For each 250 ml (1 cup) serving of beans, chickpeas or whole peas, add 750 ml (3 cups) of cold water. Let stand 12 hours in the refrigerator. Drain the soaking water and cook according to the recipe.
• Quick method : respect the same quantities as the “night” method and bring everything to the boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 60 minutes (with this method, the legumes absorb as much water as they do during 15 hours of cold water soaking). Drain the soaking water and cook according to the recipe.
• Microwave oven : respect the same quantities as the “night” method, then put in the microwave in a covered dish. Heat on high for 10 to 15 minutes, then let sit for 60 minutes. Drain the soaking water and cook according to the recipe.

The cooking

It is possible to cook the legumes in the oven or in a casserole dish, but we will only discuss cooking on the stove. Note that 250 ml (1 cup) of dried legumes will give, after soaking and cooking, 500 ml to 750 ml (2 to 3 cups) of legumes.

• On the stove : in a sufficiently large pot, immerse the already soaked legumes in a good quantity of water, according to the recipe. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Simmer until tender. Cooking time will vary depending on the type of legume used, but the best way to judge doneness is to taste.

Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net

1. Information taken from a printed brochure produced by Pulse Canada: www.pulsecanada.com [consulté le 29 février 2008].