Things You'll Need
Measuring cup
Dried beans
Large bowl
Water
Pan lid or aluminum foil
Mesh strainer
Steamer
Kitchen timer
Wooden spoon
Keeping dried beans of any kind is one way to ensure you have a stock supply of food that doesn't take up much space and can be stored for years without being cooked. You have several options when you are ready to cook your beans--most of which involve boiling or heating the beans in water. However, you can also steam the dried beans to keep as many of the nutrients inside the bean as possible for a healthy meal.
Step 1
Measure out the quantity of beans you need to cook and pour the beans into a large bowl. Add water in twice the amount of beans used. For example: one cup of beans needs two cups of water. Make sure the water fully covers the beans.
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Step 2
Cover the bowl loosely with a pan lid or aluminum foil. Set the bowl of beans aside and allow them to soak and absorb the water for at least six hours. An overnight soak is even better.
Step 3
Pour your soaked beans into a mesh strainer held over a sink to drain any remaining water.
Step 4
Fill your steamer pot with as much water as needed for your type steamer and bring to a boil. Place the soaked beans into the steamer basket, set them over the boiling pot and cover.
Step 5
Steam the beans for three to four minutes or until tender--this will take 3 to 4 minutes. Take off the lid and stir the beans every minute to ensure they all cook evenly. Remove the steamer basket and pour the beans into your preferred serving bowl or container.
Tip
Add any seasonings you wish either before the beans are steamed or after they have finished steaming.
If soaking beans doesn’t fit with your day to day schedule, soak a large batch of beans over the weekend and freeze the soaked beans in freezer bags. When you’re ready to use, the beans simply pull out as much as you need and cook.
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