How to cook beans for the desired result
The centuries-old culinary history of beans has many dishes that different nations prepare according to their national traditions. Knowing how to cook beans can result in many different nutritious foods. For example, bean soup is present in the menu of every national cuisine; it may differ slightly in the type of beans and the composition of the other ingredients. In addition to the first courses, beans are added to salads, used as a side dish and even prepare desserts and pastries.
Beans, like all members of the legume family, are very useful for the human body. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and trace elements. But most of all, beans are valued for their high content of vegetable protein, which makes them quite capable of replacing meat and fish in the vegetarian menu. The protein contained in beans is easily absorbed by the body, saturating it with nutrients, but at the same time, without overloading with extra calories.
Bean dishes are very popular in the diet. The high content of folic acid regulates the metabolism, which makes beans an indispensable product for various diets. In addition, all types of beans are rich in coarse fiber and have a beneficial effect on the digestive system. Fiber keeps you feeling full for longer, which reduces the number of meals you eat.
Read also: lentil dishes recipes simple and tasty second courses!
Types of beans
According to the method of use, beans are divided into:
- grain - only ripe grains are consumed;
- vegetable - not only edible grains, but also pods.
Bean grains differ in color, and each type has its own characteristics.Red beansb - the leader in the content of antioxidants, which slow down age-related changes in cells and prevent many diseases. White beans are equally healthy, they are rich in magnesium and folic acid, and also have a high fiber content.
Green beans are of particular value for dietary nutrition. Of all types of beans, it is green that is the least high-calorie and has absolutely no contraindications. Both grains and green pods are eaten.
Preparatory stage
Bean dishes are delicious, nutritious and healthy - everyone knows that. But the consumption of legumes is very often associated with the unpleasant consequences of bloating. But in fact, the reason for the increased gas formation is not the beans themselves, but their improper preparation. Beans contain complex sugars that make the process of digestion difficult and unpleasant. Therefore, when boiling beans, you must not overlook the preparatory stage - soaking.
In addition to the breakdown of oligosaccharides, this method helps to cope with other difficulties:
- cooking time is significantly reduced;
- harmful substances contained in the shell of the beans pass into the water;
- during cooking, the shell does not burst;
- the beans are cooked evenly;
- enzymes are activated that contribute to better digestion;
- vitamins and minerals are retained, which disintegrate when boiled for too long.
Cold method of soaking
Beans can be soaked cold or hot before cooking. With cold soaking, the process is longer in time, however, it allows you to preserve a maximum of nutrients.
The soaking procedure includes a few simple steps:
- The beans must be sorted out, getting rid of all damaged and unripe seeds.
- Wash under running water.
- Pour enough cold water, given that the beans swell very much and double in size. If some of the beans have floated up, it is better to remove them, they still will not boil.
- Leave to swell for 10-12 hours.
- During this time, it is recommended to change the water several times.
The water in which the beans were soaked must be drained and then rinsed the seeds again.
Hot method of soaking
This method can be used when there is no time for prolonged soaking. However, it should be borne in mind that with quick soaking, the beans do not fully reveal their taste, and during cooking, the skin may crack.
Before you cook beans using the hot soaking method, you must:
- Sort the beans and rinse under running water.
- Place the beans in a saucepan and add hot water in a 1: 5 ratio.
- Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Leave under a closed lid for at least 1 hour.
- Drain the water and use the beans for further cooking.
Adding 1 teaspoon of baking soda during the soaking process will significantly shorten the cooking time.
How to cook beans
The process of cooking beans is rather long in time, although it cannot be called laborious, especially the soaking process. The main difficulty is not to forget to fill the beans with water in time. Properly prepared beans quickly become soft, although the cooking time will largely depend on the variety.
After the beans are well soaked and swollen, they should be placed in a container and pour in water. The beans should be completely covered in liquid.
Cooking beans consists of the following steps:
- Place the saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Boil the beans for 5 minutes, then drain the water in which the beans were cooked and pour fresh.
- Simmer the beans over low heat until soft. A lot of foam can form in the pot during cooking, so the lid should not be closed tightly. You can also add a tablespoon of any vegetable oil to the water to reduce foaming.
- It is necessary to monitor the amount of water in the pan, its level should always be higher than the beans, and if necessary, it should be added.
- At the end of cooking, season the beans with salt to taste.
If desired, based on culinary preferences, you can add onions, carrots, spices and seasonings during the cooking process. Correctly selected flavors will make bean dishes more aromatic and rich.
The cooking time for beans depends on their variety and method of soaking and can range from 30 minutes to one and a half hours.
In any case, the beans should be checked for readiness. To do this, take out several grains, and check each of them by kneading with your fingers or a fork. If the beans are still hard, continue cooking. If the beans are to be used in salads, they should be soft, but not boiled. And for making pasta, mashed potatoes or cutlets, the beans should be boiled well until they become porridge.
Freezing boiled beans will help to significantly save time when preparing dishes from beans. After spending one day freezing a large number of semi-finished products, you can effortlessly prepare your favorite bean dishes at any time.
How to cook beans without soaking
The most tasty and healthy beans are prepared in compliance with all recommendations, that is, pre-soaked in water. However, there are times when the soaking process is missed, and the dish needs to be prepared urgently. There is another way to cook beans - without presoaking them. When deciding to try this method, it is worth considering that the cooking time will increase, and the beans may crack. In addition, compounds undesirable for the body, which disintegrate during the soaking process, will be preserved with this method. This can lead to the same side effect that many people stop eating legumes.
To cook beans without soaking with maximum preservation of taste and useful properties, you must adhere to the following recommendations:
- Change the water several times during the cooking process. After boiling the beans for about 15 minutes, the broth must be drained, and add cold water to the pan and continue cooking. Repeat this procedure 3-4 times.
- When cooking, you can add a little cold water. Due to the temperature difference, the beans will cook faster.
- Salt the beans only at the end of cooking. If you add salt right away, the beans can stay hard for a long time.
How to cook green beans
Green beans are much easier to cook than dry beans. It does not require preliminary long soaking, except that more mature pods can be put in salted water for a couple of hours.
Before cooking fresh green beans, they must be rinsed, after removing the branches and stems. All pods must be of the same degree of ripeness, preferably younger ones. They taste more tender and cook faster.
Prepared beans should be dipped in lightly salted water and cooked for 5-7 minutes. Care must be taken to ensure that the beans are not overcooked. With prolonged contact with boiling water, some of the vitamins may be destroyed, and the taste of the vegetable will also deteriorate.
After the pods are cooked, they should be drained from the water and used for further cooking. If the fruits are very long, they can be cut into pieces and added to omelets, salads or vegetable stews.
Video selection of green bean recipes
What can be made from beans
The bean menu is very diverse, it includes a huge number of first and second courses, snacks, pastries and desserts. White beans are very popular among culinary specialists, the recipes of which are included in many national cuisines. This is due to its neutral taste compared to other types of beans. White beans in dishes harmoniously complement other ingredients without interrupting their expressiveness and originality. This type of legume needs to be cooked for a long time, but even so, it has many admirers. Because dishes prepared from white beans conquer with a special creamy taste, thanks to which this type of beans is also called butter.
Bean soup is one of the most popular world-famous dishes. Depending on the region of residence and national characteristics, different nationalities prepare their own version of bean soup. Recipes can differ in the degree of pungency, the amount of spice, and the composition of the ingredients. In any version, the bean soup will be tasty and healthy.
Bean Soup Recipe
Before making a bean soup, you need to stock up on the following ingredients:
- white beans - 180 g;
- onions - 2 pcs.;
- carrots - 2 pcs.;
- parsley root - 1 PC.;
- clove seeds - 2 pcs.;
- potatoes - 220 g;
- vegetable oil - 30 ml;
- black peppercorns - 8 pcs.;
- salt to taste;
- spices (ground black pepper, coriander, thyme) - to taste;
- bay leaf - 1 pc .;
- parsley greens - 1 bunch.
Step by step cooking:
- The beans should be sorted out, rinsed and filled with cold water for 12 hours.
- After the beans have swollen well, drain the water and rinse the beans again. After that, pour the beans with fresh water and boil until tender. Along with the beans, parsley roots, carrots, and an onion stuffed with clove seeds should be added to the pan. When boiling beans, foam may form and must be skimmed off.
- When the beans are cooked, the vegetables need to be removed and the water drained.
- Spread finely chopped onion in a frying pan, then add the carrots cut into strips and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cut the potatoes, put them in boiling water and cook for 20 minutes.
- Then add beans, browned vegetables, salt and spices. Cook the soup for another 10 minutes.
Serve hot bean soup, sprinkled with fresh parsley. You can supplement the dish with sour cream and white bread croutons. The soup turns out to be very aromatic and rich; to increase the spiciness, you can add a little chili pepper to the plate.
Bean soup is ideal for vegetarian and lean menus. A properly prepared soup made from presoaked beans is very light and well absorbed by the body. At the same time, it is quite satisfying and will be an excellent option for diet food.