COOKING BEANS

Instructions 
Thanks Linda C. for all this information.

Things You'll Need

• Beans

1 First, sort and wash the beans. Discard any shriveled or broken ones.

2 Soak most beans in three times their volume of cold water for six hours before
cooking. (You can cook beans without soaking, but it takes longer, and some
people think the beans taste better when soaked.)

3 Drain and rinse the beans, and then put them in a large pot. Add water to come an
inch or two over the beans. Do not add salt!

4 Bring the beans to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes,
or until the beans are tender. (Check your package of beans, as cooking times vary
for different varieties. But also check the beans occasionally, because sometimes
the beans will cook more quickly than the package says.)

Tips & Warnings

·     Split peas and lentils don't need to be soaked. They take about 30 minutes to cook, or you can cool
them longer until they "puree themselves" into a smooth paste (which is desirable for soups or India
dais). Some Indian lentil varieties cook even faster.

• One cup of beans is about three cups cooked.

• Salt toughens the beans - don't add it until the beans are fairly tender.

·     Add a chopped onion, a bay leaf, some peppercorns and a chopped carrot to beans as they cook,

    particularly to chickpeas and white beans.                                                                                          

• Save the flavorful bean water to use in soups or stocks.

• Store cooked beans for up to four days in your refrigerator.