How to cook beans correctly and quickly
The first step in the cooking process is checking the expiration date. The longer the beans sit, the longer they will take to cook. If stored for more than one year, they dry out. It is almost impossible to cook old legumes deliciously.
The second stage is soaking. Paradoxically, this significantly saves cooking time. In addition, soaked beans are softer and healthier due to the release of nutrients into them when they swell. It is optimal to plan a dish with beans in advance and soak the beans the night before.
The process ends, of course, with cooking. Red beans, soaked for 6 to 12 hours, due to their softness, cook in about half an hour. White beans will take 50-60 minutes. A few minutes before removing the beans from the stove, salt them. Ready beans can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 4 days.
Cooking process
1) If we cook beans exclusively in a pressure cooker, then its walls and bottom need to be greased with a sufficient amount of oil. This will minimize foaming from the beans.
2) Cut the onion into slices/dices, as well as the brisket. Throw into the container along with the basil. Let simmer until the onions are cooked and the meat is browned. This process takes a little more than 5 minutes.
3) Grind the garlic and bay leaf. Then add them to the dish and let them cook for a couple of minutes.
4) Now it’s the beans’ turn. Along with it you need to pour water so that it covers the food (1:3), a spoonful of oil, salt and other spices.
5) Close the lid and try increasing the pressure. All this will take about 25 minutes.
6) Finally, remove the bay leaf.
The ideal side dish for such a dish would be potatoes. Many people prefer to serve beans with rice or buckwheat. To make the dish look appetizing, you need to decorate it with herbs. A great addition to it would be arugula or spinach.
Most housewives pre-soak beans before cooking. Some do this at night, others three to four hours before cooking. This will soften the hard structure of the beans as much as possible and reduce the cooking time of this product several times.
So, the most popular and ancient product can be prepared easily and quickly. But you are taking a risk, because after such a culinary masterpiece, all members of your family will constantly ask you to cook this dish. Although, no matter what feats you will go to in order to see the satisfied, and most importantly, well-fed smiles of your household.
Beans in a slow cooker
The real lucky ones are the owners of a multicooker. To cook both white and red beans using this method, you do not need additional preparations. Just fill the beans with water in a ratio of 1 to 10, set the device to the appropriate mode ("Cooking" or "Stewing" is best) and set a 40-minute timer. Then open the device and check if it is ready. Leave the beans in the slow cooker for another 20 minutes if necessary. Salting the beans, unlike all other methods, should be done first.
RMC-M60
Pour boiling water over the beans and let stand for 1 hour, then place in a sieve and let the water drain. Place the beans in the multicooker bowl, add water, add salt, spices and stir. Close the lid. "Menu" button
select the
“SOUP”
.
Press the “Set/Timer”
,
“Hour”
and
“Min”
to set the cooking time to 2 hours.
Press the “Start/Heat”
. Cook until the end of the program. Place the finished beans on a sieve and allow the liquid to drain.
Beans in the microwave
A microwave oven is a solution for anyone who has limited time. To cook beans in the microwave, rinse the beans under cold running water, place them in a microwave-safe container and cook for 10 minutes using the maximum power setting. After the allotted time, remove the plate, mix the contents thoroughly and place in the microwave for another twenty minutes. Then remove the container and salt the water. Place the beans back into the oven for a few minutes. You should not salt the beans ahead of time, as this will increase the duration of the cooking process.
Ingredients:
| Red beans | - 3 tbsp. |
| Onion | - 1 PC. |
| Tomato paste | - 4 tbsp. l. |
| Cilantro | - 1 bunch |
| Oil | - A little |
| Garlic | - 5 cloves |
| Spices | - taste |
| Salt | - taste |
| Khmeli-suneli | - taste |
| Sugar | - A little |
In order for the dish to reach the desired consistency, it will need to be boiled properly. To do this, you need to fill it with water for several hours (or overnight), because the more it swells, the faster the dish will cook.
Step 1
Rinse the beans in a colander and add water until they are completely covered.
Step 2
Peel the onion and garlic and chop finely.
Step 3
We wash the cilantro, dry it and chop it.
Step 4
Set the multicooker to “Frying” mode and pour a little oil. Fry the onions and garlic until they change color.
Step 5
Remove the onion from the bowl and place the beans in it. After this, fill it with water 2 cm above the grains. Close the lid and set the “Extinguishing” program for 2 hours.
Beans for soups
Bean soup is a suitable alternative to boring first courses. It is best to cook red beans for borscht for 40 minutes in a pressure cooker, but you should soak the beans in the evening. If you decide to cook white bean soup, take note of one secret. You can add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil or a couple of seaweed leaves to the water. The broth will make the soup more flavorful and rich, and you will save time on cooking. This soup perfectly diversifies the daily menu.
Cooking process
- Wash the beans without soaking. Pour into broth.
- Season with pepper and bay leaf (2-3 pieces of each component are enough).
- This soup takes about 1.5 hours to prepare in a pressure cooker.
- We fry separately. Fry chopped onion with flour and dried basil until golden brown. Add a teaspoon of pariki, tomato paste (1 tbsp) and a few dried tomatoes.
- Pour the roast into the cooked beans. Mix thoroughly. Cover tightly. Let's brew a little. Add dill/parsley, but only just before serving.
Beneficial features
The protein content of beans reaches the same level as meat or fish. In addition, this type of legume contains acids, B vitamins, as well as vitamin C and fiber.
And it also contains various useful microelements: iron, sulfur, zinc, chlorine, calcium, magnesium, potassium and many others. There is a striking difference in the calorie content of different types of beans. So, for 100 grams of white there are 102 kilocalories. And for red, this figure is 292 kilocalories.
Season?
Boiled beans perfectly absorb the flavors of additives. She does this especially well if the dish contains butter or unrefined vegetable oil. Try combinations with spices (cumin, coriander, chili flakes, curry, ajgon), herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, tarragon), vegetables (pumpkin, zucchini, parsnips, bell peppers) and herbs (fresh ginger, garlic, chili and onions).
Season boiled beans with spices and herbs to improve taste
Subtleties
There is a fairly common myth that salt gives beans body and toughness, so you need to add it at the end. In fact, salt has no effect on the consistency of the beans, unless, of course, you are going to pour handfuls of them into the pan. Herbs and spices can also be added at any time.
If a recipe calls for adding acidic ingredients such as lemon juice, wine, vinegar or tomatoes, do so after the beans are cooked. Otherwise, the beans may not turn out as tender as you would like.
Improve digestion?
People don't eat very many beans, not only because they take a long time to cook. It is known that beans are not the easiest food to digest and cause gas formation. There are, of course, supplements that can help improve the situation, such as fennel and its seeds, as well as asafoetida powder (available in Indian spice stores). But the main ways to “fight” the problem are as follows. Firstly, the beans need to be chewed thoroughly, making the task of the digestive system easier. Secondly... you need to eat more beans! Then your body gets used to this type of protein and learns to cope with it without loss.
Fennel and its seeds promote good absorption of vegetable protein contained in beans
Recipes
If you do not want to eat beans as a side dish, but want to turn them into an independent dish, then the recipes presented below will be useful to you.
Recipe No. 1. Beans with vegetables
To prepare you will need:
- 1 cup beans;
- carrots – 3 pieces;
- onion – 1 piece;
- bell pepper – 1 piece;
- tomatoes – 5 pieces;
- basil, parsley, dill (or any other herbs to taste);
- salt and pepper;
- olive oil (or any other vegetable oil).
First you need to soak the beans and cook them in a slow cooker (this process is described above).
While the legumes are boiling, you should peel and cut the vegetables (carrots, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes). The type of cutting – cubes, strips, rings, half rings and more – we choose according to our wishes.
After the beans are ready, remove them from the multicooker and transfer them to a pre-washed and dried container.
In a multicooker bowl, fry the onions and carrots in olive oil. Then add the remaining vegetables there. After the vegetables are half cooked, add cooked legumes to the mixture. Salt and pepper everything, bring to readiness.
Place the dish in portions on plates, sprinkle with herbs and start eating.
Recipe No. 2. Indian style beans
For preparation you will need the following ingredients:
- 400 grams of beans;
- onions – 2 pieces;
- any vegetable oil;
- oriental seasoning “Curry”;
- salt.
The beans should be soaked and cooked in a slow cooker (the method is described above). We take out the finished legumes and put them in a separate container, set it aside for a while.
Cut the onion into half rings and fry it in vegetable oil in a multicooker bowl. When the onion is ready, put it in a separate bowl, add salt and curry seasoning there. Mix.
After this, add this dressing to the prepared beans and mix thoroughly.
An excellent addition to this dish would be Indian flatbread or pita bread.
