 |
Cooking | Health | Nutrition | Weight Gain | Weight Loss | Women | Social Planning | SITEMAP
Legumes 101 Indian Cuisine
Legumes are a primary source of protein among Vegans.
Legumes are dried seeds from a pod that opens up along both sides of the carpel. Lentils and Pulse are varieties of Legumes.
Common varieties used in India are: Desi chickpeas (Desi Chana, Bengal gram), Pigeon peas (Arhar, Tuar, Red or Yellow gram), Black Matpe (Mah, Urad, Urd, Black gram), Mung beans (Moong), Lentils (Masoor), Green peas, Yellow peas, Garbanzo bean (Kabuli Chana), Red Kidney beans (Rajma),
Black-eyed peas (Lobiya)
Digestion / Gas
When Carbohydrates, pass through the body, they must be broken down into single molecule sugar to be absorbed into the blood stream. The Legume contain complex sugars Stachyose (3-molecule sugar), Raffinosea (4-molecule sugar), and Verbascose (5-molecule sugar). Most of the humans cannot break down these sugars and they pass on to the lower intestinal tract where bacteria ferments these sugars, causing gas and giving a sense of being bloated.
The enzyme alpha-galactosidase helps break down complex sugars. A product, named Beano, uses this enzyme which is derived from the mold, Aspergillus niger. You can not cook with Beano, cooking destroys the enzyme.
How to cook?
Step 1: Spread the seeds in a cookie sheet and pick out the dirt and tiny stones. Wash in a big pan. When in water fragments of skin, and dried shriveled pieces will float. Remove all that float.
Step 2: In a large pot put washed seeds. Add 4 cups of water for each cup of seeds. Bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 4 minutes. Shut off heat.
Step 3: Keep the pot covered and soak for two hours to overnight. This process is called pre-soaking. Presoaking has two advantages:
1. It reduces the cooking time to half. For some dishes like Khichri, it is important so that Rice and Pulse can be cooked together.
2. About half of the complex sugar responsible for gas formation leaches out in the water. Discard soaking water to reduce gas discomfort.
Step 4: This depends on the final result one wants.
Hard water contains Calcium. Calcium and sugar hinder in breaking down the wall of the seeds. The starch will swell and become tender, however the seeds still retain their shape. That's what happens with Boston baked beans.
If acids like tomatoes, lime juice or vinegar are added, the starch can't swell.
You can add meat of Papaya (1 Tablespoon of Papaya to a pound of Pulse) to tenderize starch.
Digestibility Aids: Following items are often added while cooking to help digestibility.
Indian Cuisine: Papaya, Fresh Ginger, Fennel seeds.
Oriental Cuisine: Kombu (seaweed)
Mexican Cuisine: Epazote (herb)
Yogurt may be eaten along with Cooked dish to control the bacteria responsible for fermentation in the lower intestines.
How to presoak Garbanzo beans?