Hello,

I have a question about cooking dried chick peas. Actually, it's
about soaking them. I make them a lot, and I notice that the next
day, after they've been soaking overnight, there's some white foamy
stuff on top of the water. I usually dump out the water, wash the
beans and the pot well, and fill with clean water, then cook the
soaked beans.

But yesterday I had let some dried beans soak for an extra long time,
more than 24 hours (I was just too busy to get to them before that),
and when I lifted the cover to the pot, the water was totally covered
with the white foamy stuff, and it gave off a foul odor, a bit like
sour milk. Again, I dumped out that water, gave the beans a very
thorough rinsing (until I couldn't smell anything on them), and
scrubbed out the pot. After I cooked the beans, they tasted fine, so
I don't think anything's wrong with them.

Anybody know what that smell is caused by, and the white foam?

Thanks,
J

I don't know what causes it, but I get the same results with pinto beans,
while soaking them for 36 hours prior to canning them. I just make a point
of draining them 2 to 4 times during the soaking process, and have never had
any problems with them.

Dwayne

[quoting removed - gedge, moderator]

Similiar with Lima beans.

I don't know, but I never pour off the water but use the same water I soaked
them in. I do rinse them thouroghly before soaking them.

If you leave for 24 hours tho, I think i might pour it off and start with
fresh water too.

My mother always preached that pouring off the water, pours off the
vitamins. Don't know if that's true or not. But she was right about so many
other things, I figured she might be right about that too.

Me

"Dwayne" > wrote in message
...
|I don't know what causes it, but I get the same results with pinto beans,
| while soaking them for 36 hours prior to canning them. I just make a
point
| of draining them 2 to 4 times during the soaking process, and have never
had
| any problems with them.
|
| Dwayne
|
| [quoting removed - gedge, moderator]

According to >:
>My mother always preached that pouring off the water, pours off the
>vitamins. Don't know if that's true or not. But she was right about so many
>other things, I figured she might be right about that too.

I think that may be true (to some extent) with boiled vegetables, but
not with soaked beans. I could be wrong, but I can't imagine there is
any nutritional value at all in bean-soak water, and from my experience
I'd say it was very unpleasant, if not actually dangerous to consume.
--
UK Competitions and slogans: http://sig.comps.org/

Me > wrote:

> My mother always preached that pouring off the water, pours off the
> vitamins. Don't know if that's true or not.

Well, one thing I have heard is that pouring off the soaking water
reduces the gas-o-genic properties of the beans. Don't know about the
vitamins.

Thanks everyone, for the replies! Now I feel I can safely make my
hummus.

J.

<mod eit>
> I have a question about cooking dried chick peas. Actually, it's
> about soaking them .... I let some dried beans soak for an extra long time,
> more than 24 hours and when I lifted the cover to the pot, the water was
> totally covered > with the white foamy stuff, and it gave off a foul odor,
> a bit like sour milk. ....
>
> Anybody know what that smell is caused by, and the white foam?

The foam is caused by fermentation just like the smell.
It is more likely to happen during warm weather.
When I see it, I refresh the water.
It is indeed true that if you do not cook the beans in the water in which
they have been soaked that eating them causes less flatulence.
Plants love the water in which beans have been soaked.

Regards
Alice

Alice > wrote:

> Plants love the water in which beans have been soaked.

Oooooh! I wish I'd known *that* yesterday!!

Thanks,
J

Well this is good to know. My husband sometimes wakes me out of a sound
sleep with his sonic booms. He blames it on my red beans.
:-) (don't mean to gross anyone out. Just good to know I can do something
about that)

| It is indeed true that if you do not cook the beans in the water in which
| they have been soaked that eating them causes less flatulence.
| Plants love the water in which beans have been soaked.

If the plants love it, shouldn't our bodies too? (Except the flatulence.)

|
| Regards
| Alice

According to >:
>| It is indeed true that if you do not cook the beans in the water in which
>| they have been soaked that eating them causes less flatulence.
>| Plants love the water in which beans have been soaked.
>If the plants love it, shouldn't our bodies too? (Except the flatulence.)

don't see why. My plants love plant food, but I don't think it would be
all that good for me.
--
UK Competitions and slogans: http://sig.comps.org/

Well, you've got a good point there.


"Vicky Conlan" > wrote in message
...
| According to >:
| >| It is indeed true that if you do not cook the beans in the water in
which
| >| they have been soaked that eating them causes less flatulence.
| >| Plants love the water in which beans have been soaked.
| >If the plants love it, shouldn't our bodies too? (Except the flatulence.)
|
| don't see why. My plants love plant food, but I don't think it would be
| all that good for me.
| --
| UK Competitions and slogans: http://sig.comps.org/