Does anyone soak their own pulses?

[naturelover]

I keep thinking I should give this a try, maybe it's cheaper, and it would certainly reduce the number of tins in my recycling box. I usually plan meals a few days in advance so soaking things the night before should not in theory be too much to remember...

Any tips?

Yes, me.

It's not the soaking so much as the extra cooking time that makes it a longer process, but the results are much, much tastier.

I don't now as I am too lazy but when we lived in Bulgaria I couldn't get tinned chickpeas so used to soak those. I would do a whole bag at a time though and then cook them and then freeze them in portion sizes in freezer bags. That worked well.

yes I do

they always need longer cooking than you think

there is a brill way of doing chickpeas with bicarb and a tomato in soaking water that gives them lovely soft skins IIRC

although since I have discovered Epicure Organic Puy Lentils in tins we are living off those (ridiculously delicious and easy)

But Enid, Puy lentils don't need soaking in any case - you just boil them in salted water straight from the packet.

i know but these are even easier and much nicer

they have replaced chick pea style recipes chez enid

You can freeze them after the soaking and boiling stage if you like. Means you can soak and boil a large batch, freeze small batches so that they're ready to use in a recipe. Just like having tins but without the tins.

I didn't know it was possible to freeze them - very useful idea. I already freeze wine in ice cube trays for cooking, and homemade stock.

I didn't realise that either- thanks

I should add, I haven't kept them in the freezer for more than a few weeks (though I've no reason to suppose they wouldn't keep - I just haven't tried it).

I think that freezing makes the beans softer and perhaps slightly more likely to break the skins, so just to be aware of that.

You need a pressure cooker

They cook chick peas in about 15 minutes.

Nigella has a very good process in How to Eat which involves making a paste of flour, salt and bicarb and adding that to the soaking water for chick peas. Soak and then pressure cook.

We eat oodles of pulses of all varieties - honestly, honestly soaking and cooking them yourself is much nicer than tinned ones. plus unbelievably cheap - DH gets a packet of chick peas the size of a small pillow for about £1.50 from a local indian grocers.

Good tips

On this pulses and beans theme - does anyone know which beans to buy to make homemade beansprouts? We occasionally get them at our local supermarket, but they are usually past it by then... I would like to sprout my own

Only when I'm washing the dishes

I can't remember exactly but I heard Aduki beans help you lose weight apparently as you burn more calories eating them than you get out of them (or something!) Sorry so vague; maybe someone with a brain can elaborate..

Soaking them is very boring as I always forget and they go mouldy. Then cooking them takes hours literally. I get dried lentils, as they don't need soaking and tins for all the others. Kidney beans remarkably cheap! Yum yum.

Are lentils pulses?

I cook them from dried, but not beans etc. I know I should.

Definitely cheaper. I, personally, will never soak and cook a chickpea again! Takes forever. Some others have shorter cooking times though and I don't mind. I freeze them as well.

we do.
Tickle, all dried beans can be sprouted, I would reccomend: mung beans, chickpeas, aduki beans, lentils, quinoa

I do, too.

I second the post about chickpeas, though.

Those I buy tinned.

I also soak scotch broth soup mix.

Yep, cheaper, taste better and it takes two minutes to empty them into a bowl and cover them in water. I do mine before I go to bed.
And I do a whole bag, like others, cook them and freeze them.

Yes, but I do keep cans in for a quick standby as we eat them pretty much every day.
I also freeze them. If I use too many cans I feel very guilty about the lack of greeness.

Always (although I usually have a few attempts at planning a meal before I finally remember to get them out and soak them).