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Original poster

do dry pulses really go off?

36 replies

mysterymoniker · 04/01/2009 21:45

trauma

just realised my stash of dried pulses are almost all out of date, some only by a month but others by a year!

are these use by dates quite flexible guidelines I can safely ignore or shall I bin the lot and start afresh?

OP posts:

moondog · 04/01/2009 21:45

No
Have had some of mine since last days of Raj.

harpomarx · 04/01/2009 21:47

I reckon safe but take longer to cook?

I have chucked some out today, think they were also infused with the odour of pickled gherkins from the jar I used to store them in.

at moondog. Bet they moved house with you, too...

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 04/01/2009 21:50

They will be "best before" dates which are very different to "use by" dates that you find on more perishable items such as milk, meat etc.

I would use pulses and lots of other dried goods several months out of date tbh as long as they were stored appropriately (not in dodgy gherkin jars for example. )

I found it comforting that on icing sugar there used to (may still be) a note to say that sugar doesn't go out of date. That is more honest (imo) than a random best before date.

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 04/01/2009 21:51

p.s. hope first part of post wasn't patronising re the dates - I meant to add "as you are probably already well aware of"

Original poster

mysterymoniker · 04/01/2009 21:52

cool, thanks

unless they were actively rotting I'd have carried on using them anyway

it's just sort of slightly taken the edge off my excitement about tomorrow's chickpea extragavanza . . .

OP posts:

revjustaboutwipestheslateclean · 04/01/2009 21:53

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

moondog · 04/01/2009 21:56

Yes indeedy.Partic. nasty coffe jar of pickled beetroot i bought from a woman i felt sorry for that has darkened my shelves for years.

New Year's Resolution is to eat everything (barley and taHini stew with wasabi and tired parsnip anyone?) before buying more.

Original poster

mysterymoniker · 04/01/2009 21:59

well that's what I'm doing!

so far so good, apart from the doubts you are all helping to dispel

there's some weird shit in the cupboard though

OP posts:

ThingOne · 04/01/2009 22:00

Some go hard and dry and aren't as tasty. Or taste like cardboard. I go by the look, feel and smell. Helpful as an on-line hint, I know .

misshardbroom · 04/01/2009 22:04

nooooooooooo

I've been using some BBE Oct 2007 pearl barley for soup this week and it was fine.

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 04/01/2009 22:05

We could do a few swaps mysterymoniker. Want to swap any of the following - 1/3 bag of green lentils (just about in date), I sachet of blackcurrant sugar free jelly , 2 miniature tia marias...early spring cleaning here.

I'll throw in a large muddy organic parsnip (only 2 days old) as a bonus.

moondog · 04/01/2009 22:08

I'd do a dahl with lentils and have Tia Marias in coffee.
Buy a few carrots and mash up with parsnip.

Kids love jelly so that would be a rainy day activity for mine.

onepieceofbrusselssprout · 04/01/2009 22:10

Thanks moondog. That's tomorrow's dinner sorted.

We are having a lot of root mashes mixed together with potatoes and other things at the moment. The dds love them thankfully.

moondog · 04/01/2009 22:11

Root mash is the best.
With roast lamb and a good gravy.
Soul food.

Original poster

mysterymoniker · 04/01/2009 22:11

I've got about 3 jars of harissa paste, surely a once in a lifetime purchase even for an avid fan of the stuff? you can have some of that and some Japanese Mirin (is that for sushi?) for your in-date lentils and maybe some tinned tomatoes?

OP posts:

moondog · 04/01/2009 22:12

God no, harissa is fab.I eat tonnes of it.
Try on cheese on toast (with finely sliced onions and tomatoes).Trick is to do cheese over tomatoes.

moondog · 04/01/2009 22:13

Mirin good mixed with soy sauce and sesame oil and wasabi paste as dressing for poached salmon mixed with rice and soy beans./I make a huge bowl of it and have it for lunch every day.

harpomarx · 04/01/2009 22:15

oh, if we're swapping, I'll throw in a bag of tapioca flour, a half-eaten bag of dried bananas (they look like mummified fingers, if anyone's interested) and some rather old palm oil.

Original poster

mysterymoniker · 04/01/2009 22:16

hungry

if only I had tomatoes I could make that NOW

OP posts:

moondog · 04/01/2009 22:18

Tapioca.Hmm, would maybe do some sort of West African stew? maybe with fish and peanuts.Have vague recollection of something fab from Ghana like that with tapioca dumplings.

Palm oil would just use as and when.

moondog · 04/01/2009 22:19

Would put banana chips in with porridge or home made muesli.

fishie · 04/01/2009 22:20

things which are troubling me:
remnant home made mincemeat
some tofu
four mushrooms
half a savoy cabbage

things which i am eager to deal with:
three slices of parma ham
tuna dip
third of bottle of cava

Original poster

mysterymoniker · 04/01/2009 22:23

thinks about marrying moondog and eating happily ever after

OP posts:

harpomarx · 04/01/2009 22:23

the tapioca flour I bought for a chocolate cake recipe I never made. I might dig that out but then would have to fork out on the other ingredients. Stew sounds good, palm oil could go in that but I think it just may be a leeeetle too out of date....

actually I bought the banana for home made muesli for dd. she didn't like them and I have got the unsweetest tooth ever so the thought of them makes me retch... maybe in something savoury though

moondog · 04/01/2009 22:23

Mince meat, mushrooms and parma ham would be fried up with onion and maybe cold rice and used to stuff cabage leaves which would simmer in tomato sauce.

Tofu would go into stir fry or with cold rice as fried rice (add tired veg and beaten egg or two)

Tuna dip sounds like it was always a bad idea. The devil's semen. Bleaaargh.

Can't beleive anyone ever has bubbly left over.Drink it!

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