... beans. Red or Kidney Beans to be exact. 
A friend told me today that adding a little bicarb soda to the water before you boil legumes made them cook faster, quite a bit faster.
Red Beans and Rice (a recipe sooo fine, Mr Michael Franti sings a song about it) was on the menu for tonight's dinner. I'd put the beans on to soak this morning.
So, I popped a sprinkle of bicarb in the water for the beans in the pressure cooker. Hmmm, perhaps the combination of bicarb AND pressure cooking was just too much for the poor wee beanies. I ended up with bean skins & mush after only 10 minutes. And interesting red foam came out the top of the cooker, I hope it recovers, I love that pressure cooker.
A friend told me today that adding a little bicarb soda to the water before you boil legumes made them cook faster, quite a bit faster.Red Beans and Rice (a recipe sooo fine, Mr Michael Franti sings a song about it) was on the menu for tonight's dinner. I'd put the beans on to soak this morning.
So, I popped a sprinkle of bicarb in the water for the beans in the pressure cooker. Hmmm, perhaps the combination of bicarb AND pressure cooking was just too much for the poor wee beanies. I ended up with bean skins & mush after only 10 minutes. And interesting red foam came out the top of the cooker, I hope it recovers, I love that pressure cooker.
Posts
6 comments:
Oh, my, what a sad description! Sounds like something I'd do!
Hmmm I think I may have spotted some slight technical flaws here... .. .
1) Never put Bi-carb in a pressure cooker
2) most people don't know what one is (well anyone under 40)
3) I would normally put a pinch of bi-carb into green/purple/red vegetables when steaming or boiling them, to retain the vibrant colours, I've never heard of it making them cook quicker.
Still - you could use them as a base for a nice three bean soup, chuck in some borlotti Beans, butter beans, red wine, chopped onions and a dash of Lee&Perrins and you're almost there... yum!
Roo - have I killed my pressure cooker? Please say no.
(lucky I'm over 40 eh?)
& That soup suggestion sounds grand.
Zoomie - I was just so excited by the thought of cooking extra, extra fast, sigh.
Roo, re the quick cooking - my friend said it was simply amazing how much faster her chickpeas cooked with a sprinkle of bicarb!
Morgan - now that's a good tip.
Also I have a question for you too, over here we are used to a flour make called "Bero" (sounds like hero) and they produce a cookery book which for years was what every good houswife had. When we where in NZ, they have a similar one for Hendersons flour, do you have something similar in Oz? The books are great as they are simply the best basic book you could need. Sort of one of those bible type books that are kept secret if you know what I mean. ;o)
Roo - Sorry, but I can't recall any flour cookbooks at all (along the lines you describe). Our "best" basic cook books are produced by Women’s Weekly - the "Bible" cook book would be Stephanie Alexander's big one - a monster but it has everything. The other must have for learner cooks are the 2 books by Geoff Slattery, I give one to every favourite young person I know when they leave home. Classic, simple and written so you can read just for entertainment. His directions on how to make & dress a green salad is practically soft porn!
Post a Comment