Cooking with Beans
Beans or pulses provide our bodies with high quality, easy to absorb proteins. They also have no saturated animal fats like meat.
Beans compliment grain & vegetables in a meal.
How to improve the digestion of beans in our diet
Always soak beans for at least 12 hours before using. Throw away this water before cooking. Don't soak with salt at this stage. It hardens the coating of the bean. By washing away the water you reduce the wind factor to the beans too.
Cook the beans with a piece of Kombu (seaweed). Kombu contains natural tenderisers that not only softens the beans but reduces their cooking time.
Keep the pot uncovered even when using a pressure cooker.
Use plenty of water for the first 20 minutes, skim off any foam & then cover & simmer until soft.
During the last 10minutes of cooking season with tamari, sea salt or even a little miso.
Chew your beans thoroughly.
A general guide how long to cook your beans.
| 1 cup beans | Pressure cooking | Boiling |
|---|---|---|
| Adzuki beans | 2.5 cups water 1 hour | 3 cups water 2-3 hours |
| Chick peas | 3 cups water 1.5 hours | 3.5 cups water 2.5-3.5 hours |
| Kidney Beans | 3 cups water 1 hour | 3.5 cups water 2-3 hours |
| Green or Brown Lentils | 2.5 cups water 20 mins | 3 cups water 40-60 mins |
| Lima beans | 3 cups water 45 mins | 3.5 cups water 1.5-2.5 hours |
| Navy beans | 3 cups water 45 mins | 3.5 cups water 1.5-2.5 hours |
| Pinto Beans | 3 cups water 1 hour | 3.5 cups water 2.5-3.5 hours |
One cup of uncooked beans makes approx 2.5 cups cooked beans.