Beans and pulses

[pinkiefriend]

Hi, I would like to start cooking more with beans and pulses. I really love Mexican and Greek food, I also love these beanie salads that you get, although I haven't yet leant how to make them. The thing with beans is that you have to soak them over night, is this true?
Can anyone give me some advice, can you use tinned beans, not heinz ;o) for these beanie dishes?

Can anyone give me some bean/pulse recipes, i.e. humus, and any other recipes, it's time to get healthy, I'm looking to start a fresh!

[WoWo]

It depends on what sort of beans you get, if they are dried then yes they do need to be placed in water to rehydrate but you can just as easily get the canned variety. Dried are cheaper but of course a little more hassle.

To make a Bean chilli you just need a couple of cans of beans any ones you fancy really, I use a tin of black eye peas, a tin of borlloti (sic) beans and a small tin on Kidney beans (this would be enough for 4 people). First chop an onion and cook that in a little oil until soft, then add a can of chopped tomatoes cook for a minute or so and then add a pack of chilli/taco mix or just some chilli powder (old el paso colmans that sort of thing), then add the beans and let that simmer for 15-20 minutes. If you want to make it hotter just add more chilli powder or some diced fresh chilli. Server with rice or as I do with baked sweet potatoes.

This is also a very cheap and healthy meal, Sainsburys have an offer on which is 3 cans of beans for �1 so the above meal for 4 people shouldn't cost more than �2.50 or so in total.

[WoWo]

I should have said that you need to drain the liquid from the beans before adding them. They don't have to be dry but you certainly don't want all of the liquid in the mixture as it will be to watery.

[sunflower68]

My hummous recipe it pretty basic ( you are supposed to use tahini paste, I think). Drain a can of cooked chick peas, put in blender. Add 2-3 cloves garlic, salt, pepper, lemon juice and oil/ oil and water for a lower fat version. Blend till smooth and 'whippy'. You can blend for ages, it will be fine.

[WendyS]

You can certainly buy all kinds of ready-cooked beans from the supemarket, including red kidney, borlotti, green haricots, butter beans and the white hariots (which are the ones used for cooking baked beans). It's well worth keeping a selection in your cupboard as having to be sufficiently prepared to soak them overnight is a pain when you're busy. One bean salad we often make is roughly as follows although you can vary the ingredients to suit your taste and what you have available.:It can be served hot or cold.

Fry a chopped onion, some mushrooms, garlic and chopped red pepper until soft. Add some chopped Polish sausage and heat through. Rinse the tin/s of beans, heat if desired, and stir in the other ingredients.

[nickmo]

http://www.recipes-to-go.com/beans-and-lentils/index0001.html has a few ideas. Easier than typing them out.

Enjoy1

[pinkiefriend]

WOW, that is a lot of bean recipes, i wont be stuck now! Thanks,

[barb1314]

My bean salad is as follows...vegetarian though..

A mixture of canned Borlotti,Cannellini and Red Kidney Beans.Chopped Red onions.Chopped Fresh Coriander.Halved Sundried Tomatoes.Sea Salt and Ground Black Pepper.A splash of Balsamic Vinegar and lots of Olive Oil. Mix together!!! Really tasty and good for you!!

[Clanad]

Actually, soaking dried beans assists primarily, in cutting the cooking time. Here in the western U.S. the Mexican Frijoles are always a favorite. Very simple recipe...

Ingredients:

2 cups dried pinto beans
one half cup real lard (not shortening or any vegetable product)
one half tablespoon salt

Sort beans, rmoving damaged or discolored and rocks, dirt, small bugs, etc.

Place lard in heavy (preferbly cast iron) 4 quart pan
Add beans and 6 cups water, add salt
Cook for at least 6 to 8 hours or until beans mash easily.
Stir beans with heavy wooden spoon but don't completely mash beans.
Serve with warm flour tortillas (Maza Harina flour if you make your own.) Just before serving, cover tops of beans with about 1 fourth inch of a good white cheese, such as Jack, Mozzarella or any of the Mexican varities you may be able to find.

Beans are eaten by spooning onto warm flour tortillas. (Ours are homemade and so thin you can read a newspaper through them.) The beans should be somewhat runny, not pasty. The dribble down the chin is quite satisfying. Add more lard if you want really good frijoles...

[searchme]

Wow Clanad-great recipe-I can feel my arteries hardening already!!!

[bexbex78]

Simple energising salad: mix 1 tin of chick peas, with 1 tin of kidney beans - add half a finely chopped red onion, splash of olive oil and a great big squeeze of lemon or lime juice - mix well, and serve with a granish of chopped flat leaf parsley. A great salad to go with fresh tuna, cod loins, or on it's own...

[metagirl]

Clanad gave you the 'authentic' recipe but if you want some quick refried beans just get: 1 can of pinto or similar beans (I find it sometimes difficult to find pinto in the UK), drain all the liquid out into a bowl and save, fry a clove of garlic with olive oil and add a few cumin seeds or cumin powder, add the beans and mash, stirring in the liquid a tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you want. Get a handful of cheddar and put on the top, covering with the lid so you can melt the cheese but remove the pan from the fire so you don't burn the bottom of the beans.

I love red lentils and have them as a "side" whenever I get sick of potatoes. Just boil as described, adding salt and pepper to taste. They go great with sausages.

You can definitely use tinned beans for most if not all 'bean' recipes - I almost burnt the house down after leaving with my pot of beans still on the fire. They had already been cooking for an hour and I had completely forgotten about them!

[sunflower68]

blimey pinkiefriend I would hate to be down wind of you by the end of the week! ;)