On Thursday, August 1, 2013 4:34:59 PM Burns wrote:

> Ha! I've found it! When I reply to you, I just have to hit "rewrap" in
>
> the Edit menu! No more messing up your messages by adding returns!
>
>
> The USDA figures refute assertions that beans don't absorb salt, but
>
> that doesn't answer your question.
> Sirloin, falling-apart kidney beans, garlic, butter, mint! Sounds good!


Thanks, nice of you to show such concern, but the truth is you shouldn't have to go through that ritual just to answer a post from me. I'm glad you found it though, makes things easier, because as bad as I felt about my annoying post format appearance, I was not about to stop posting just for you. But I did feel bad about it. So give me a few points for that at least..

I think science is great. But I tend to think in a more intuitive way. For example, I assume that any hard substance from hard beans to a rock will absorb some water if it sits in it long enough. I even assume that rice can be cooked just by soaking. I don't know how long it would take, but I bet it would happen. Ok, I won't bet. Just a gentleman's guess.

Thanks for yum yumming the bean dish. I use sirloin roast, but my grandparents always used lamb. They used it for almost everything. But even my old school Arab relatives, all of whom are good cooks, at least with the stuff they make consistently - even they now use beef almost exclusively and have even resorted to buying commercial yogurt rather than making it themselves which as the way of all of them when I was a kid. I made yogurt a few times when I was younger. Later I tried it and it wouldn't take. I talked with some of my relatives about that and even they said they had occasional problems with yogurt taking, problems they didn't have a few years ago. Anyway, the bean dish is exactly the same except my grandmother used clarified butter and lamb. Her version was great.

TJ