Dried Beans

Who has a bag of beans in their pantry? Do you know what do with them? I’ve got some ideas. First off you need to soak them. I like to add a little salt and soak overnight so they cook faster and are easier to digest. Rinse well and add the beans to a big pot. Cover the beans with water and cook on low for several hours until the beans are soft. The cook time will depend on the kind of bean you are using. Once soft, the beans are ready to use in whatever dish you choose. I am going to cool some of these and put them in the freezer for another time. The rest are going to mixed with tahini, lemon, garlic, and olive oil into hummus, cooked together with onions and Indian curry spices, and added to a can of tuna for a lunchtime Italian style salad. That bag of dried beans in the back of my pantry is becoming my family’s ticket to eating around the world.