Chick peas - soaking time

[christmasiana]

I am cooking chick peas from dried for first time. I forgot to soak them last night (all recipes say 'soak overnight'), put them in at 8am this morning with water and bicarb... will they be ok to cook tonight or am I being too keen and should I wait for tomorrow?

Hiya, I think about 8 hours soaking is minimum so you should be OK - you might want to double check this though what you making, anything interesting?

If you're not sure, buy a couple of cans. Leave the dried ones till another day.

i am making harira - well, i want to make harira - lamb, chickpeas, spinach, lots of yummy spices like saffron too...

if it's 8 hours then that would be cool. do you think less soaking just means more cooking?

mrsmerry, it's tooo coooooold to leave the house to buy chick peas!

ooh sounds lovely!
will you be cooking them separately then adding to the rest? Think that would be the best way to go on this occasion - I may be wrong though... But that is what I would do.

yes, you have to cook it separately and then add. it's an Ottolenghi recipe but I've seen similar in Moro too. will cook it tomorrow and let you know how it is!

read in Nigella How to Eat that she soaks them for 24 hours so trying to be patient...

yes I guess it's better to be on the safe side...beans on toast for tonight then

never heard of Ottolenghi, is it all moroccan/n african stuff?

you have to buy the Ottolenghi cookbook - it makes you feel like a cooking genius - it's got moroccan, mid eastern influences - it's just absolutely amazing. takes ordinary ingredients (like broccoli and cauliflower and chick peas) and turns them into something spectacular... really really good... loads of lovely veggie and meat dishes... and lots of lovely baking ideas but i think it's the savoury stuff that I do most.

it's my cookbook of the decade!

sounds good, I will look it up...I'm missing that part of the world on my cookbook shelf
how was the harira? I have been inspired by you and am soaking some aduki beans for a caribbean chicken stew tomorrow. DH went to a nutritionist and she has recommended he includes a cup of pulses a day in his diet so I am trying to be inventive!

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oooh I'd love that if you have the time!

Mine is a well tweaked version from a book called the Food Doctor - so probably not really authentic (but v healthy) and I just pretty much chuck in whatever I have in the cupboard and fridge, but will do the honours for you if you like?

I'm quite pleased about this sudden change in DH's diet - he is a serious sugar addict with IBS and has to cut out sugar, wheat, dairy and red meat for a month and then she'll re-assess him...good for me as I am following it too out of sympathy and am finally starting to lose my last dregs of baby weight!