Pulses such as lentils or beans are a versatile and healthy addition, but how do you best prepare them and what do you need to pay particular attention to?
For all pulses, rinse them first. This is best done with a sieve under cold water.
Lentils
Lentils come in a variety of colors: from orange and yellow to black, they spice up any dish or make a great side dish. Preparing them is easy because you can cook them straight away.
The red and yellow small lentils are peeled lentils (square lentils). You can cook them directly with twice the amount of water. To do this, briefly boil the water with the lentils and then reduce the heat. The lentils will absorb the water and will be cooked after about 15 minutes. You can then use them again.
Tip
Do not let it cook for too long, as this will cause the lentils to fall apart very quickly.
Lentils can be used directly in stews or casseroles with appropriate liquid. It's best to layer them at the bottom. The lentils will then absorb the flavor of the liquid and seasonings accordingly.
Try lentils cold with salads
Plain lentils and beluga lentils are whole lentils and require a little more cooking time, about 30 minutes. Otherwise, the preparation is exactly the same as described above.
Chickpeas
If you're in a hurry, you can buy pre-cooked chickpeas in jars. Otherwise, you'll need to soak and cook the chickpeas first. To soak, place the chickpeas in about three times their normal amount of water for at least 12 hours. Choose a larger container, as they will expand considerably. Then pour away the soaking water. Raw chickpeas produce a toxin (phasin), which is best avoided. Rinse the chickpeas again and then cook them. The cooking time depends on the soaking time and how you plan to use them; about 45 minutes: creamy and soft for hummus, for example, or with a bit of bite for salads or curries.
Tip: Long soaking shortens the cooking time, which is also more energy-efficient.
If chickpeas float to the top while soaking, remove them as they will not cook any more.
Peas
Soak the peas for at least 12 hours in approximately three times the amount of water. Rinse the peas again and cook for approximately 60 minutes. The cooking time depends on the soaking time and how you plan to prepare them afterward.
Tips: Whole peas and split peas are available in green and yellow, already dried without shells. Split peas are quicker to prepare and don't necessarily need to be soaked (cooking time approx. 45 minutes).
Beans
Black, white or adzuki beans are also a great addition to recipes because of their soft, creamy consistency and great taste.
Here, too, soaking the beans for about 12 hours in about three times the amount of water helps reduce the cooking time. Rinse the beans and cook them with about 1-2 cm of water covering them, depending on the bite, for about 60 minutes in a covered pot, after bringing them to a boil once over low heat. (This corresponds to about three times the amount of water.)
Tip: Add spices to the cooking water, but not salt, as this will extend the cooking time.
If you forgot to soak the beans, you can also cook them straight away, but it will take about twice as long, i.e. about 2 hours.
If you add the beans to a soup or casserole that also requires cooking time, you can shorten the cooking time accordingly.
|
Legumes |
Rinse |
soaking |
Amount of water |
Cook |
Amount of water |
|
red lentils |
√ |
no |
no |
15 minutes |
2-fold |
|
yellow lentils |
√ |
no |
no |
15 minutes |
2-fold |
|
Mountain lentils |
√ |
no |
no |
30 minutes |
2-fold |
|
Plate lentils |
√ |
no |
no |
30 minutes |
2-fold |
|
Beluga lentils |
√ |
no |
no |
30 minutes |
2-fold |
|
Chickpeas |
√ |
12 hours |
3-fold |
45 minutes |
2-fold |
|
Whole peas |
√ |
12 hours |
3-fold |
60 minutes |
2-fold |
|
split peas |
√ |
optional |
2-fold |
45 minutes |
2-fold |
|
White beans |
√ |
12 hours |
2-fold |
15 minutes |
2-fold |
|
Black beans |
√ |
12 hours |
2-fold |
15 minutes |
2-fold |
|
Adzuki beans |
√ |
12 hours |
2-fold |
15 minutes |
2-fold |
