Nutritious Beans Beans of various types are cheap and nutritious and can be added to one’s diet in a variety of ways. Beans are plants that belong to the pea family. They are among the most nourishing of foods and are of great value to man. Beans are also of importance to farmers because of their power to enrich the soil in which they grow, with nitrogen, which they absorb from the air. Some beans grow as small bushes; others climb like vines by twining their stalks around poles. Beans possess compound leaves, each leaf being made up of 3 leaflets. The smooth, large seeds grow in pods. When the beans are ripe, the pods split open from the edges. There are many varieties of beans that grow in different parts of the world. Kidney beans, popular in the USA and Canada, green shell beans, string beans, stringless beans, French beans, lima beans, runner beans and also Georgia velvet, navy, China and pinto beans are some of these. Realising the value of beans, the Chinese have, for centuries, used beans to make sauces, gravies, cheeses and meat-like preparations. Beans even have an edge over daal in protein-content and should therefore, be considered the poor man’s meat. While one cup of lentils (approximately 200 gm) has 15 gm of protein, one cup of dry lima beans (192 gm) contains 17gm protein. One cup of beans also possesses 260 calories, 48 gm carbohydrate, 2 gm fibre, 1.5 mg iron, 15 mg calcium, 75 mg phosphorus, 306 mg potassium, 1 mg sodium, 0.3 mg vitamin Bi, mg vitamin Bo and 1.7 mg niacin and no fat at all. Being rich in fibre, beans are very good for the heart as they help reduce the blood cholesterol level and counteract the harmful effects of red meat and fat in the diet. Although beans are good for health, a large percentage of the population finds it difficult to digest beans. In the USA, this problem has been solved with the invention of a food enzyme sold by the name of Beano. A few drops in a dishful of beans solves the problem of digestion. It is advisable to soak beans, after cutting, in a potassium permanganate solution. You can get crystals of potassium permanganate from any chemist. Just add 4 to 5 crystals to a dish of water and when the water turns pink, soak the beans in it for 5 minutes. Then rinse them in clean water. This removes not only dirt and germs but also neutralises the insecticides which farmers generously spray onto vegetables and which can harm you if taken internally. All vegetables and fruits that cannot be peeled should be soaked in potassium permanganate solution. Beans cook better if you let them soak in water beforehand. They should be kept for 6 hours in cold water, or if you don’t have time, you could use boiling water. Drop the beans into a pot of boiling water (3 parts water to 1 part beans) and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Then, leave the beans in hot water for one hour and then cook them. No nutrients are lost from the beans during the process of soaking and it reduces the cooking time, too. One fallacy about beans is that they are best eaten raw. This is not correct. Experiments conducted in the Department of Home Economics, University of Chicago, USA, showed that the essential amino acids, proteins, cysteine and methionine were released from the beans only after they were subjected to the heat of cooking. Amino acids are vital for growth. Therefore, it makes sense to cook beans. Besides, raw beans might cause indigestion far more than cooked beans. For cooking beans, it is advisable to use a heavy vessel with a thick (or even a sandwich) bottom. Cooking time depends on various factors — the first being the age of the beans. Older beans take longer to cook because they have tougher shells. Again acids lengthen cooking time because they cause the shells to become hard. Hence, tamarind and tomatoes used in cooking, release acids and delay the cooking process. Salts and fats do the same. Hard water also prolongs the operation because it contains mineral salts. This is why it makes sense to soak legumes beforehand — it softens their shells. To increase their nutritional value people allow beans to sprout before cooking and this gives beans added strength. To obtain sprouts, soak the beans in water in a steel or china dish and cover with cheese cloth. Wash and drain after 24 hours and place covered in a warm, dark place, free from sunlight. Wait till the sprouts reach one inch in length before using the beans for cooking. Before you cook them, expose the beans to sunlight for a few hours. They will then acquire chlorophyll. You can cook beans with a variety of food items — tomatoes, onions, garlic, rice, meat, or just by themselves. You can roast them, bake them, fry, sauté, and stew or boil them, grate them or pound them into a sauce. No matter what method you employ to cook them, you’ll get the full nutritional qualities of this sterling vegetable. Kebabs with Broad Bean Puree Serves: 4 Ingredients: 250g cherry tomatoes 155g button mushrooms 3 zucchini (courgettes), cut into thick rounds 1 yellow or green pepper, cut into chunks 250g marinated tofu, cut into 2 cm cubes 1 red pepper, cut into chunks For the tangy citrus marinade: 2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon reduced-salt soy sauce 1 tablespoon vegetable oil For the broad beans puree: 250g shelled fresh or frozen broad beans ½ cup natural yogurt 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind Freshly ground black pepper Method: Thread tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini (courgettes), yellow or green pepper, tofu and red pepper onto lightly oiled skewers. To make marinade, combine lime or lemon juice, honey, soy sauce and oil. Brush over kebabs and marinate for 1 hour. To make purée, bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add broad beans and cook for 10 minutes or until beans are tender. Drain and cool slightly. Place broad beans, yogurt, thyme, orange rind and black pepper to taste in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Set aside. Cook kebabs under a preheated hot grill, turning frequently, for 8 minutes or until tender. Serve with purée. Any cooked or canned beans can be used in this purée when broad beans are not available.
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 08:00:01 +0000
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