Cooking Time Dried legumes and grains with a Fagor Pressure Cooker
Dried beans, legumes and grains have always played an important part in the Mediterranean diet, which is high in complex carbohydrates. One of the fastest ways to cook dried beans, legumes and grains is in a pressure cooker. What used to take hours to cook is now reduced to minutes. Several types of beans do not even need to be presoaked.
Tips for Cooking Beans and Legumes
Before cooking, soak beans in four times their volume of lukewarm water for at least four hours or overnight. If unable to soak beans beforehand, add 15 minutes to cooking time. Do not salt soaking water because it will toughen beans and inhibit hydration.
§ Do not soak lentils or dried split peas.
§ Place beans or legumes in the pressure cooker. Add three cups of water for each cup of beans or legumes.
§ Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil for each cup of water to cut down on foaming during cooking. Do not add salt until after cooking.
§ Let pressure drop naturally after cooking.
§ Cooking times vary according to the quality of the beans or other legumes. If still hard after recommended cooking times, continue cooking uncovered. Add additional water, if necessary.
Tips for Cooking Grains
§ Before cooking tough grains, such as wheat berries and pearl barley, soak in four times their volume of lukewarm water for at least four hours or overnight. If unable to soak grains beforehand, add 15 minutes to recommended cooking time. Do not add salt to water since it will toughen the grains and inhibit hydration.
§ Do not soak rice.
§ Rinse all grains under lukewarm water before cooking.
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Approximate Cooking Time (Minutes)
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Pressure Setting
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Azuki
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5-4
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High
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Barley, pearl, 3 cups
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15-20
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High
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Black Beans
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8-10
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High
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Black Eyed Peas
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9-11
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Medium
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Chick Peas
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10-12
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High
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Cranberry
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8-10
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High
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Gandules (Pigeon Peas)
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7-9
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High
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Great Northen
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8-12
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High
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Kidney Beans
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10-12
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High
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Lentils, green
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8-10
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High
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Lentil, soup
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8-10
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High
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Lentils, red
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8-10
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High
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Lima beans
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5-7
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High
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Navy or pea beans
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10-12
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High
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Peas, split green or yellow
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8-10
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High
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Pinto beans
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4-6
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High
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Rice, basmati, 1 1/2 cups
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5-7
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High
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Rice, converted, 1 1/2 cups
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5-7
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High
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Rice, long grain, 1 1/2 cups
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5-7
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High
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Rice, wild, 3 cups
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22-25
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High
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Wheat, berries, 3 cups
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15
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High
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