Cooking chick peas from dried

In the past I've soaked the dried chick peas overnight and then cooked them, but they always seemed a bit harder than they should be.  I realize now that an hour and a half is actually not enough time and according to Yotam Ottalenghi I should have cooked them for 2 to 3 hours.  That makes sense, but he also said to soak them overnight with a little bicarbonate of soda and to cook them in the same bicarb water the next day.

Well I did that, but after only 45 minutes of cooking the chick peas went all mushy and started to fall apart.  Also there was a gelatinous quality to the water and it was hard to rinse it all away.  I ended up making hummus with it all and it looks and tastes fine, but to serve those chick peas any other way would not have worked at all.

What happened?  Was it the bicarb?  Why did it cook so quickly?

I think it was cooking them in the same bicarb water the next day.  I would have rinsed it all off thoroughly and put them in fresh water to cook.

I think it was cooking them in the same bicarb water the next day.  I would have rinsed it all off thoroughly and put them in fresh water to cook.

I will definitely do that next time even if a famous chef says otherwise.  Any idea why they are soaked in bicarb at all?

I am curious too, because I've always had to cook them for ages!

I am curious too, because I've always had to cook them for ages!

I guess it did make them cook faster, but next time I'll rinse first.

I think that the bicarb is meant to help soften the outer shell of the bean? But it can also leave a weird taste and destroy... er, vitamin b?

I've never heard of boiling in the soaking water though so maybe that has something to do with your troubles?

It could be as well that your beans are just old, it is a common culprit when, having cooked them long enough, beans are still hard or unevenly cooked.

It could be as well that your beans are just old, it is a common culprit when, having cooked them long enough, beans are still hard or unevenly cooked.

No it was the opposite--they cooked in under 45 minutes.  If it's destroying any of the nutritional value I won't use the bicarb at all next time.  The whole point of chick peas (besides the fact that I do like them) is that they are nutritious!

I will definitely do that next time even if a famous chef says otherwise.  Any idea why they are soaked in bicarb at all?

I have heard that soaking beans/legumes in bicarb cuts down on the sugars, which reduces, errr......gas.   I never use bicarb, because I've also heard that it can reduce the nutrients, which for me too, would be counterproductive.

I have heard that soaking beans/legumes in bicarb cuts down on the sugars, which reduces, errr......gas.   

I see.  No need to worry about that too much for me as I've been eating beans and legumes in abundance for 20 years (been vegetarian for a long time) and my body is used to digesting them! 

That really is the key. I'm not a vegetarian, but for a while I was (and even a raw vegan for two years). The more your body gets used to beans, and fiber, the less *disturbing* it is.

*disturbing*

 

That really is the key. I'm not a vegetarian, but for a while I was (and even a raw vegan for two years). The more your body gets used to beans, and fiber, the less *disturbing* it is.

Raw vegan, now that's hardcore!

I soak mine overnight w/o baking soda, rinse, and cook either in a pressure cooker or a slow cooker.  I've only tried the slow cooker once and I prefer the pressure cooker method.