How to Cook Dried Legumes

1. When soaking dried beans, make sure to cover them with:

• a)  an equal amount of cold water.
• b)  at least twice the amount of cold water to beans.

2. Beans should be _______ during cooking.

• a)  simmered
• b)  boiled

3. Cooked beans can be stored in the refrigerator for up to:

• a)  two days.
• b)  five days.
• c)  two weeks.
• d)  one month.

4. The fastest method to soak beans is to cover the rinsed beans with cold water and bring to a boil for _________ minutes; then drain and immediately begin the cooking process.

• a)  2 to 3 minutes
• b)  10 minutes
• c)  15 to 20 minutes

5. To reduce gassiness commonly associated with beans, it’s best _______ soak beans prior to cooking.

• a)  to
• b)  not to

6. Older beans dull with age.

• a)  True
• b)  False

7. The best way to determine if beans have finished cooking is to taste them as they cook.

• a)  True
• b)  False

8. When cooking beans, make sure to use the soaking liquid, as it contains many nutrients that have leached out.

• a)  True
• b)  False

9. Older beans will take longer to cook.

• a)  True
• b)  False

10. Dried peas and lentils must always be soaked.

• a)  True
• b)  False

11. Which beans were likely soaked prior to cooking?

• a) 
  
• b) 
  

12. When cooking beans, the amount of liquid to beans should be approximately:

• a)  2:1.
• b)  4:1.
• c)  6:1.

13. Soaking beans helps to speed up the cooking time by about:

• a)  5 percent.
• b)  25 percent.
• c)  50 percent.

14. Dried beans should be soaked until they are plump.

• a)  True
• b)  False

15. Which pot contains the proper ratio of liquid to beans during cooking?

• a) 
  
• b) 
  

16. It is not necessary to rinse dried beans prior to soaking them.

• a)  True
• b)  False

17. The liquid used for soaking beans can be flavored with aromatics to infuse even more flavor into the beans.

• a)  True
• b)  False