Pulses | Seeds in a pod are known as pulses. | Go
To Peas Beans Lentils Preparation of Pulses Classic Dishes
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There are three types of Legume:
those eaten in the pod and therefore young and tender eg Mange Tout
those that are left to mature and eaten fresh without the pod
those that are dried
Pulse are generally divided into three types
Peas
Beans
Lentils
[back to the top] Marrowfat
Sweet flavour - tough skin floury texture
Split Green Pea
Disintegrate when cooked
used in puree soups
Pease pudding
Split Yellow peas
used in puree soups or as a puréed vegetable
Chick peas (not strictly a pulse)
Nutty taste absorb flavours & keep shape
used to make Humus
widely used in Middle east & Asian Cookery
[back to the top] Soya bean
Red Kidney
Mung
White haricot
Green flageolet
Blackeyed [back to the top]
Aduki
Borloto
Pinto
Broad bean
Lima
Butter bean
[back to the top]Red & Yellow
Green & brown
Epuy
[back to the top]Choosing
Should have a clear bright colour and a plump appearance
Unbroken - not dusty (sign of age)
Even sized
Older drier pulses need longer cooking & tend to fall apart during cooking
Pick over carefully to remove grit and husks
Take care not to allow to ferment once soaked
Soaking
Most dried pulses require soaking before cooking
to aid reconstitution, shorten cooking time & prevent splitting
Some need little or no soaking such as lentils.
Use cold water or bring to boil & allow to stand
Allw to double in volume - use large pot
Bicarbonate
of soda can be used to soften skin BUTthis gives soapy taste
and makes more difficult to digest.
1ltr water to 500g
Simmering
All dried pulses cooked by slow simmering in a covered pan stirring occasionally - on top of stove or in oven.
Always use large pan to allow for expansion.
Salt & acid ingredients toughen pulse skins and should be added after the pulse is cooked
Rapid boiling for the first ten minutes with Kidney beans is recommended to destroy a poisonous enzyme
How would you treat a fresh pulse?
Cook in Boiling salted water for mininmum timeTest cooking by tasting.
[back to the top]Some Classic dishes made using Pulses
Can you identify the pulse used and other main ingredients ?
Baked Beans
Boston Baked beans
White beans with port
Bean salads variety of mixtures and adde to other salad ingredients
Mexican bean salad
Four Bean salad
(bean sprouts)
Various soups
Lentil soup - Puree Egyptian
Crema de Lima
Puree/Creme St Germaine
Flageolet Puree
Lentil and mushroom burgers
Certain varieties of minestrone
various stews - casseroles
various side dishes or starters
Hum(m)us
Tarka/Khatti Dal
falafel deep-fried chick pea balls