Cooking with Legumes

There are a large selection of legumes available; soya beans, pinto beans, black eyed, pink, navy, lima, haricot, kidney, red, great northern, chick peas, split peas, lentils ....Legumes have the ability through their root tubercles, to absorb nitrogen form the air with the aid of bacteria in the soil. The nitrogen is the basis for their high protein content. Mature legumes which are usually dried, have more protein than immature legumes such as garden peas

Beans help lower serum cholesterol, a fact discovered by Ancel Keys who is one of the leading experts of fat metabolism.

Beans may cause flatulence in some people. There are three points to be taken into consideration here. Firstly it is essential that they are prepared correctly for eating which will reduce this problem, (see below). The second is that the body may need time to adjust if legumes are new to the diet, and thirdly many of us need to chew foods more adequately. Digestion begins in the mouth with the secretion of enzymes in the saliva, so chew thoroughly to assist nature in its work. There are enzyme tablets sold by Health Food stores however, which may assist in their assimilation - one such is called "Beano".

It is very important for vegetarians to obtain protein from a variety of sources including legumes.

Preparation for cooking: soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water which helps remove the complex sugars which contribute to flatulence. Discard the soaking water and cook until tender in fresh water.

Some beans contain toxic substances but these are eliminated by correct simple cooking procedures as mentioned above. You may hear that beans contain hemaglutins (which can clump red blood cells) and trypsin inhibits (which retard growth) but this is not a concern when the beans are soaked and cooked until tender. Liken beans to potatoes; we were not meant to eat potatoes raw either - they can be poisonous raw but nutritious cooked.

When buying legumes look for brightness in colour, uniformity in size, and choose beans which do not have cracks. Dry beans store well for several months in containers; keep in a cool, dry place. Mixing of new with old beans results in uneven cooking.

Cooked beans freeze very well for convenient future use. When you have time e.g. in a weekend, have a ‘bean day’. Cook a variety of beans which have been soaked overnight, and store in one cup lots in the freezer for the busy weeks ahead.

Ideas for using beans: Beans can be used as the central ingredient, e.g. mashed and used to form the basis of a patty mix or a loaf with veges and flavourings; or they may be an addition to other dishes to increase their protein content. Beans are excellent added to casseroles, soups, patties, a stir fry, a savoury loaf, a pie. They are truly a versatile food.

Quantity: one cup of dried beans yields approximately 3 cups of cooked beans. To say beans are economical is an understatement!

Adding one tablespoon of oil to cooking water for each cup of dry legumes, helps reduce foaming. If using a pressure cooker it prevents the valve from becoming blocked.

A pressure cooker is a wonderful asset for the chef because it reduces the cooking time significantly, and there is no mess or fuss. However, if you are not fortunate enough to own a pressure cooker, you need only to be more vigilant and patient! When cooking lentils only, bring to the boil then leave the lid off the saucepan. With other legumes, when the beans have come to the boil, cook on low heat with lid on. A bean is cooked when it easily squashes between the finger.