INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

Perhaps no other factor in bean cookery is more controversial than whether
beans should be soaked, and if so, how to soak them properly before
cooking. "What??", you say, "Soak the beans?" Perhaps you've been cooking
them for years without soaking because many cooks do, but it's a fact that
before those beans can really start cooking, they must rehydrate--the
purpose of soaking.
Since a bean contains only about 15% moisture in the dry form and
rehydrates to about 60% moisture when fully cooked, you can see it has to
soak up a lot of water. If you fail to soak the beans first, some of your
cooking time (and energy expense) is wasted while the beans rehydraate. So
our recommendation is, SOAK the beans first--especially the denser
varieties such as kidneys, pinks and small whites.
Another important factor about soaking beans is that if you use the
preferred hot-soak method described ([below]), and let the beans soak for
at least four hours before pouring off the soak water, you should find the
beans cause less problems in your digestive tract. During the hot-soak
process, many of the undigestible, soluble sugars in beans (a partial cause
of gas problems) are dissolved into the soak water and go down the drain
with the water. Afraid of throwing away some valuable nutrients? Don't be.
Scientists tell us that no significant amounts of essential nutrients are
lost. Further, the protein and carbohydrates, the main nutritional reason
people eat beans in the first place, are not disturbed. And certainly, for
most people the discomfort avoided and the improvement in flavor gained by
discarding the soak water are much more important than the insignificant
loss of nutritional benefits.
For each pound of California dry beans, any variety, add 10 cups hot water.
Remember, beans will rehydrate to at least twice their dry size, so be sure
to start with a large enough pot. (Note: Up to 2 teaspoons of salt per
pound of beans may be added to help the beans absorb water more evenly.)
Heat to boiling, let boil two to three minutes. Remove from heat, cover and
set aside for at least one hour. (Quick-Soak Method), but preferably four
hours or more.  The longer soaking time is recommended to allow a greater
amount of sugars to dissolve, thus helping the beans to be more easily
digested. Whether you soak the beans for an hour or several hours, discard
the soak water.
From "Cooking with California Dry Beans" published by the California Dry
Bean Advisory Board, 531-D North Alta Avenue, Dept. CB, Dinuba, CA 93618.
Posted by Michael Prothro KOOK-NET
:þ Mike's Resort BBS, Fayetteville,AR,(501)521-8920þ
From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini

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