How to Soak Garbanzo Beans

Garbanzo beans, or the bean known by a slightly different name Chickpea, is a legume. A lot of people confuse both of them for separate beans. Like the rest of the legume family, the garbanzo beans pack a punch, both in taste and nutrients.

The best thing about garbanzo beans is their availability. From the steppes of Mongolia to the sprawling fields of sand in the Gulf, you can find garbanzo beans everywhere and anywhere in convenient packages. The only problem with garbanzo beans is their hardness.

You could quite literally use them as ammo in their hardened state. So, you probably understand how hard cooking them becomes. There are ways to circumnavigate this problem, as you will soon learn.

Why Should You Soak Garbanzo Beans?

Compared to other Legumes, garbanzo beans take the longest to soak. Their hard-inner nutrition needs a lot of soaking to become easier to cook. If you don’t pre-soak them before cooking, you could very well be spending between three to four hours on a single dish.

You probably understand why soaking is vital, especially if you don’t have a lot of time. Also, these beans are particularly problematic when it comes to digestion. You might even find yourself facing issues like gas.

What soaking does is make the beans easier to cook and digest. You won’t have to worry about the acidity or that wretched heaviness that accompanies beans. Soaking the garbanzo beans also brings out their taste to a certain extent.

How to Soak Garbanzo Beans

Soaking garbanzo beans should be easy enough as long as you have a few basic things. The first thing that you will require is a good pot for soaking or boiling your beans. You can try a ceramic Dutch oven because it’s non-reactive and it looks beautiful on a stove.

The next thing that you’ll need is some Kosher salt and some baking soda. You will also need some heat-resistant gloves because safety inside of the chicken is vital. Finally, you will need some guidance; you can find that below.

Soaking Garbanzo Beans in Water

Water is the primary medium used for soaking beans. The traditional soaking method is pretty much easy because it only needs water and beans. You start by washing your beans thoroughly to remove any impurities.

The next thing you have to do is put your beans in a bowl and cover them with water. Cover them with enough water to allow for proper soaking because garbanzo beans absorb a lot of water. You have to let them soak for at least 6 hours before draining the water and using them.

How Long To Soak Garbanzo Beans

The length of the soaking period is wholly reliant on what you intend to make. Nevertheless, it should be noted that garbanzo beans take way longer to soak. You will have to soak these roundish beans for at least 7 to 8 hours through the traditional soaking methods.

You can use heat and baking soda to speed things up. The baking soda slightly alters the taste, but it also gets the job done. You lose something, and you gain something; that’s the law of equivalent exchange.

Can You Soak Garbanzo Beans Overnight?

Overnight soaking is the best way to soak garbanzo beans. You must thoroughly wash them to remove any split beans and dirt. After that, please place them in a non-reactive bowl and pour a lot of cold water over them because chickpeas absorb a lot of water.

You’ll need to add enough water to cover them by two inches at least. The next critical step is to keep them in a refrigerator because if the temperature rises too high, the beans will ferment. Typically, the overnight soak lasts 8 to 10 hours, and the beans should be well over ready for cooking by the end.

Keeping garbanzo beans in the fridge also saves them from spoiling. The good thing about garbanzo beans is that they do not lose shape even if they are soaked for 24 hours as long as their temperature is maintained.

How to Soak Garbanzo Beans Fast

The quickest option for people who want to quick-soak the garbanzo beans is similar to that of the other Legumes. Take some beans and thoroughly wash them to remove any dirt. Put your beans in a pot of water, add some baking soda and bring to a boil; remember to wear heat-resistant gloves.

Allow the beans to boil for one minute (give or take a few seconds), then remove from the heat. Allow them to soak in the warm water for at least an hour. Probing or poking them with a fork will allow you to determine their firmness.

Drain the water, then separate the garbanzo beans and cook them as desired. You should always drain them because baking soda in your dish will destroy the taste. If you don’t like all this effort, then you can get some canned chickpeas.

Sources

• BBC-Good-Food
• Detoxinista
• Spoon-University
• Healthy-Nibbles-And-Bits