Now that there's an Instant Pot in my kitchen, and I've found local sources for Rancho Gordo and a couple of other heirloom and organic beans, I'll be using these dried beans instead of canned in many recipes, including several chili recipes, soups, and a few bean-centric main dishes. So, while I have the equipment and the ingredients, my knowledge is lacking.
Is adding flavoring components to the soaking water a good way to go, or is adding these components to the cooking water a better option? The few times that I've cooked beans in the IP, I've added onion, garlic, bay leaves, and some dried peppers to the cooking water. The results were pretty good but I'd like to try getting a more intense, or deeper, flavor into the beans.
One idea that I have is to infuse the soaking water with some pepper paste. I've a jar of Aji Amarillo paste that's been sitting in a cupboard for far too long, and perhaps it's time to put that puppy to work.
I thought I'd add a bunch of paste to the soaking water by heating the water to get a good infusion, strain the solids, and then soak the beans in the cooled water. Perhaps add some salt to the water as well. Workable? Good idea?
What do you do to add flavor to beans?
