Don't like beans, mash and lentils? Just do not know how to cook them!

Not all beans are equally prepared. Therefore, do not need one size fits all. If you find the right approach to lentils, mash or beans, you can get incredibly tasty and delicious dishes. Reveal all the secrets?

The difference in the preparation of beans

Everyone knows that beans cook for a long time. But you need to soak not all types. Mash can only spoil this, the ambassador of boiling swollen peas will limp and fall apart. You can hold it a little in salted water, but not more than an hour. On average, the mash is boiled for 30 minutes, but it is important to keep an eye on him. If he will act as an ingredient in salad, it is desirable to keep the whole shape.

Lentils also do not require soaking, it boils for less than an hour without this, but it must be washed several times before cooking.

The exact cooking time depends on the variety.

The beans also require steeping. She is not cooked without it.

Why beans are soaked:

To shorten the cooking time. Otherwise, it may take several hours. After swelling, the beans are cooked for about an hour or less.
To improve the taste. Soaked beans are much softer, they boil evenly.
The main thing is to get rid of the anti-nutrients. They go out into the water for several hours. Otherwise, you can get serious stomach problems.

Usually the beans are soaked for at least 8 hours. Periodically water change. If this is not possible, the beans are poured overnight, then they must be washed with clean water. The first liquid with harmful substances must be drained. In addition to having bad compounds, it gives a bad taste. When soaking, you can add soda to the beans, the beans will cook faster. Per liter of water is enough one teaspoon.

Good advice! Beans when soaking increases at least three times. Therefore, you need to pour a lot of water to the product until the very end remained immersed in the liquid.

How to cook beans?

Despite the need for soaking, the beans are not kept in water for more than 12 hours, otherwise the fermentation process begins. If it is not possible to boil the beans, then it is wiser to put them in the refrigerator, but you cannot keep more than a day. Basic cooking rules:

Beans are poured with cold clean water. If, after swelling, spoiled beans become noticeable, they should be removed before cooking so as not to spoil the taste of the whole dish.
To boil the beans need to bring on high heat, then cook the beans on a small level. From active bubbling they crack.
When cooking, you can add a little mint or thyme to the pan. They prevent the occurrence of flatulence.
Do not cover the beans, otherwise it will lose color, it will become gray, the dyes will go into the water.
If white beans are cooked, then it is wiser to cook it in two steps. Boil for 15 minutes, leave for an hour, then bring to absolute softness.
It is important to make sure that the liquid does not boil away, besides the beans can burn. If the water is low, then you need to add.
Beans for the first courses are not fully cooked to keep the shape. As soon as the beans are punctured, they are put in the soup, made ready with the rest of the ingredients.

Beans are salted at the end of cooking. If the beans are intended for another dish, then salt and other spices are wiser to add to it.

By the way, white and red beans are not only different in size and color. They have a different taste, white beans are prepared faster, you can soak them for not so long.

How to cook mash

Mash cooks no more than 40 minutes, sometimes half an hour is enough. If the instructions indicate more time, then we can talk about old peas, it is better not to buy it.

Cooking features:

Mash, unlike beans, is launched into boiling water. If the soup is cooked, then a little earlier the potatoes and other vegetables are immediately in the broth. But it is important to rinse it well.
It is possible to boil the mash for 5-10 minutes in the same water, and then shift it into the soup. This will preserve the natural flavor of the broth.
There is at least three glasses of water per glass.
Mash is salted at the end, like other beans, otherwise the cooking time is delayed.
Tomatoes, tomato paste, pickles and other acidic products are not added to mung bean until it reaches softness.

If you plan to cook the cream soup, then you can break through all the rules and soak the peas in water, at least for the whole night. But before cooking the liquid is changed. Cooked mash very quickly, turn it into a puree is not difficult.

By the way, mash quickly loses nutritional value and taste. Therefore, boiled beans can not be stored for a long time, it is desirable to add to the dish or eat during the first day.

How to cook lentils correctly

Lentils come in many different types, they are usually distinguished by color and size. Also, the product has a different cooking speed. Red (orange) lentils are the fastest cooked. The darkest varieties and stale foods are prepared the longest. But still, the process rarely takes more than an hour.

Cooking features:

Lentils are launched into cold or hot water, broth, there are no strict rules.
You can add any spices, but salt only at the end.
If you want to keep the whole shape, you can add salt immediately after boiling.
Lentils do not require rinsing after boiling, you can immediately add vegetables, poultry to it, and cook everything together.

The taste of lentils is strongly influenced by spices. Unlike beans, it absorbs them well, loves various sauces and greens.

Boiled lentils are perfectly stored in the refrigerator without liquid, but not more than three days.

What is the combination of mash, beans and lentils

Beans are used for the first, second course, side dishes, salads, snacks. The range of dishes meager you will not name, it is necessary to glance in the culinary book. Beans are not cooked with cereals, pasta, served without bread.

What combines beans: