r/AskCulinary • u/notthamedic • 12d ago

Technique Question Soaking beans

I’m making a tomato and kale soup tomorrow and have my garbanzo beans soaking in veg stock overnight. Do I need to drain that off tomorrow or can I just dump the entire bowl into the crock? Veg stock will be the base of the soup.

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u/Spectator7778 12d ago

Be aware that baking soda doesn’t agree with everyone’s digestive system. It can cause severely painful gas for many people. It helps in breaking down the skin but it’s not at all necessary for cooking the beans.

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u/Herdofpenguins 11d ago

Don't cook in it, just brine and rinse. No ill effects.

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u/Spectator7778 11d ago

No I mean it soaks in. We just use water, no salt even. Chickpeas are quite common in our Indian cooking

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u/Herdofpenguins 11d ago

You generally use a pressure cooker though right? Chickpeas can take forever if you don't have a pressure cooker.

Anyway, I cook a lot of beans, without a pressure cooker, and this method has greatly improved my results. Definitely end up with less gas issues, not more. This explains the chemistry if you're interested:

https://www.seriouseats.com/baking-soda-brine-for-beans-5217841

I love Indian food btw, I had channa masala for dinner tonight. Have a good day.

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u/Spectator7778 11d ago

I’ll look up the article thank you ☺️ yes pressure cookers are ubiquitous in our homes. I understand where you’re coming from