Today we are going to teach you how to cook beans. That’s right! There is no more excuse for not preparing this typical Brazilian delicacy in your house.
Come and see!
Benefits and nutritional properties of beans
Who has never heard this phrase: “eat beans to stay strong”. Children who say so! And it is not that parents and grandparents are right.
That’s because beans are rich in protein and iron, which helps a lot in the proper development of tissues and muscles.
Beans are also a source of folic acid or vitamin B9, as it is also known. This vitamin is essential for several functions of the organism, ranging from the creation and regeneration of cells to the formation of DNA, which is why it is so important during pregnancy.
Beans are still great for people with diabetes and need to lower blood glucose levels. The legume has a low glycemic index and a large amount of fibers.
Want one more benefit from this amazing food? Well, beans are great for those who want to lose weight, as it guarantees a feeling of satiety for longer, avoiding inopportune attacks on the refrigerator.
How to cook beans
Cooking beans is very simple, just take a look:
Right amount
It is important to know that beans practically triple their quantity after cooking. Thus, a cup of raw beans yields up to three cups of cooked beans.
So keep that in mind when preparing food. To make it easier it is always good to cook an extra amount to store in the freezer, so you save time, gas and dishes.
Type of beans
It is also important to keep in mind that depending on the type of beans the cooking time can change. We will talk more about this later.
For now, know that the tips that we will give below apply mainly to carioca beans, the most consumed in daily life.
Soaking
The first step in cooking beans is to soak them. Yeah! This ancient habit, from the time of our grandparents, has been tested and proven by science.
In addition to making the beans softer and thereby speeding up the cooking process, the “sauce” causes the beans to release phytates, known as anti-nutrients. These phytates can cause poor digestion, intestinal discomfort and gas.
There is no consensus on how long the beans should soak, but the tip is to leave them overnight, that is, place the beans in a bowl of water overnight if the intention is to prepare them for lunch time.
As soon as you wake up, change the water and put it to cook. And speaking of water, don’t use the sauce water to cook the beans. This is because all the phytates released by the legume go straight into the water and, in this case, there is no sense in reusing it.
That done, time to put the beans in the pan.
How to cook beans in the pressure cooker
The pressure cooker is the easiest and fastest way to cook beans. After soaking it, drain the water, wash and rinse. Place the beans in the pan and cover with approximately three fingers of water above the level of the beans.
Close the pan and put it on the fire. When the pressure starts, count for about 10 minutes and hang up. Wait for the pressure to come out completely, open the pan and check that the beans are already soft. Remembering that the longer the beans soak, the less time it takes to cook.
How to cook beans in the common pot
You can cook beans in a regular pan, although the process takes longer. To do this, place the beans in the pan and cover them with water until it reaches about four fingers above the level of the beans. Check the water level during cooking, if you need more, add.
Let them cook for about 40 to 50 minutes until the beans soften.
How to cook beans in the electric pan
If you have an electric pressure cooker you can use it to cook beans. The process is very similar to the previous ones.
Soak the beans, wash and rinse. Place them in the pan and cover with water (about three fingers above the level of the beans). Set the pan for 15 minutes of cooking. At the end of the time, check if the beans are soft.
How to cook beans in the microwave
If you have neither a pan nor a stove, another way to cook beans is in the microwave. This is not the most practical and economical method, but it can save you in an emergency.
Start by soaking the beans, so you reduce cooking time. Then put the ingredients for the sauté (garlic, onion and a drizzle of olive oil) in the bowl that will be used to prepare the beans.
Take this stew to the microwave for about three minutes. Then add the beans and cover it with water.
Return the bowl to the microwave and set the appliance to 30 minutes at full power, pausing half the time to stir.
At the end, add salt and it is ready to serve.
Types of beans and how to cook each one
How to cook black beans
The way of cooking black beans is the same as that of carioca beans. Soak the beans overnight and cook in the pressure cooker for about 10 to 15 minutes (or in your preferred cooking method).
To enhance the taste of black beans, add some bay leaves to the cooking water.
How to cook white beans
White beans have slightly larger grains than black beans and carioca beans. This makes it also a little bit harder and takes longer to cook.
Therefore, the ideal is to always soak it to facilitate the process and, preferably, cook it in the pressure cooker. The average cooking time for white beans (if soaked) is between 15 and 20 minutes.
White beans are generally used in the preparation of special and differentiated recipes, but nothing prevents you from adding this bean in your daily life, just prepare it in the conventional way.
How to cook azuki beans
Of Japanese origin, azuki beans have a beautiful reddish color. The smaller grains of azuki beans also help in the cooking process, as they soften more quickly.
Azuki beans can be cooked in the pressure cooker or in the common pan, but it is important to soak them overnight in the same way as the others.
To cook the azuki beans place the beans in the pan cover with about two fingers above the level of the beans. At the moment of pressure, count five minutes and you are ready.
If you prefer to cook the azuki beans in the common pot, count about 20 to 25 minutes. Check the cooking point of the beans and you’re done.
Azuki beans can be seasoned normally, as you do with other beans or, if you prefer, it can become the basis for other recipes, such as stews, broths, creams and salads.
How to cook black-eyed beans
Very popular in northeastern Brazil, black-eyed beans are a different type of bean for two reasons: it is generally consumed without broth, only the beans, and is very practical to make.
The black-eyed beans do not need to soak. It goes from the packaging straight to the pot (just wash it first).
Prefer to cook it in the pressure cooker, which is faster, about 10 minutes. To do this, just put the black-eyed beans and add water until covered. Count the time, turn off the pan, drain the water and you’re done.
The black-eyed beans look great in salads, farofas, risottos, vinaigrettes and accompanying dried meat, sausage and seafood.
You can also use the black-eyed beans to make purées, pastes and cookies, like the traditional acarajé.
How to season beans
There are several different ways of seasoning beans and everyone always has that mother’s recipe to make daily beans delicious.
But of course there is also a basic recipe for braised beans and this is the one that we will leave here for you. Write it down:
- ½ onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon of oil
In a small pan or skillet add the oil, garlic and onion. When it starts to brown, add a bean scoop, without the broth, mash and mix well.
Pour this stew into the pan where the rest of the beans are. Stir and add the salt. Simmer for another 10 minutes with the pan uncovered and ready.
For a little change, you can add fresh herbs, tomatoes and even a few drops of lemon.
How to store beans
The beans that you have cooked need not be fully seasoned. The tip here is to cook a good portion at once, separate what will be consumed for the day and the rest, divide into small pots and store in the freezer.
Just be careful not to overfill the pot, as the beans will increase in volume in the freezing process and may even burst the pot. Fill at most ¾ of the container.
The beans can stay in the freezer for up to three months.
