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Advice about dried garbanzos/chickpeas


Nancy in Pátzcuaro

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I have had problems cooking garbanzo beans--they soften but are often kinda chalky and dry. Because I have access to very fresh dry beans I no longer soak them beforehand. Could that be part of the problem? Back in the day, before we moved to México, I used to brine beans, which I found to make a superior product. Should I be doing that again? I do enjoy how easy it is to cook these fresher beans, but I would like them to be creamier, if there is such a thing with dry beans. Thanks for your advice. (Something tells me that you'll tell me to go soak my beans!)

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Formerly "Nancy in CO"

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I always soak my beans overnight. Garbanzos will take in 1.5-2 times their size in water. Sometimes a bit more. I think beans cook more evenly when soaked. 

Most important is not to rely on a package cooking time. I cooked a pot of garbanzos last night after an overnight soaking the night before. I expected them done at one point but they were grainy. 15 more minutes they were creamy but still a firm shell. I turned off the heat but put the lid on for another 20 min. Perfect. I'll spice and roast a third, a quarter I'll add to salads---the rest will be humus. 

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