Lentil Beans

Lens (Lens culinaris) :

Among the world's oldest cultivated foods, lentils are also some of the most digestible legumes. The lenses that come in colors ranging from orange to pink to grayish green. Lentil pods grow on vinyl, green plants with long thin leaves. Lentils probably first appeared in northeastern Iraq. In Qalat Jarmo, Iraq, archaeologists have found lenses almost 9000 years old. Places in Greece and Turkey have also given up the old lenses.

The Egyptians were big lenses eat as early as 5000 years ago. An offer of mashed lentils were found in an Egyptian tomb. The Egyptians were lens traders as well and probably introduced them to both Greeks and Romans. At the beginning of the first century AD, of which 2.8 million pounds of Egyptian red lentils-packing "peanuts" in the era - cushioned a carved stone obelisk journey from Egypt to Rome. The memorial still stands in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, but the lentils that protected it has long since been eaten.

Lentil soup, a remarkably healthy dish, has been a French favorite for centuries. Originally a food of the poor, the little legumes are loaded with protein, fiber, iron and potassium The French may have brought lentils to the Northern America. Iroquois Indians in the St. Lawrence valley grew them in abundance from the beginning of the 1700s on.

India grows more than half the world's supply of contact lenses, about 800,000 tons per year, and eats it whole, imports more from Turkey. Canada and Australia are major exporter’s lenses.

How to De-gas Beans :

1) Put dried beans in a large saucepan

2) Cover with water

3) Bring to the boil

4) Remove from the heat

5) Add 1-2 tbsp. Baking powder

6) Let stand overnight

7) Next day - drain the water

8) Add fresh water, bring to boil

9) Reduce heat and simmer until tender

Note: Dried lentils and split peas do not need to be de-gased or pre-soaked. Canned beans need not be de-gased.

Snap Beans-Maturity Indices :

Snap beans (yellow, green and purple types) are harvested when they are rapid growth and development. Harvesting occurs around 8-10 days after flowering typically mature snap beans. Beans should be harvested when the fruit is bright green, the pod is fleshy and the seeds are small and green. After this period, reduces seed development, quality and pod becomes pithy and tough and lose green color.

Snap Beans-Quality Indices :

Beans should be well formed and, bright in color with a fresh appearance and offers, but solid. They should snap easily when bent. Leaves, stems, broken beans, still flourishes, insect attack should not be present. Reduced quality in post harvest processing is usually associated with water loss, chilling injury and decay.

What is the best way to make low-fat refried beans? :

Firstly, melt the lard. Oh, you say low fat? Well come to in a minute. Traditionally, to make refried beans, you Saut some onion (and garlic if necessary) in lard, add the cooked beans and mash them to a coarse paste and add the bean stock if necessary to get the right consistency. Continue to cook until done, which is described as somewhere between soft mashed potato stage and almost dry.

There are a few suggestions for making low-fat versions, although they begin to diverge significantly from traditional refried beans. The first step is to switch from lard (or bacon fat) with vegetable oil or olive oil and lower the amount used. While some recipes require nearly half cup lard to four cups of beans, others to cut - a quarter cup or as little as 1 tbsp. At the time, obviously you do very little frying of these beans, you're basically simmering boiled beans. To replace some of the flavor and improve the coherence of these simmered beans, some low-fat cookbooks tell you to add a cup or so of low-fat chicken stock and boil until you get mashed potato consistency. Basically, you’re making a really thick again warmed soup rather than refried beans. But it could be good for many of the dishes you have in mind. And for many people, the low-fat component may be more important than any sense of tradition.