Except for soft, light beans such as lentils and split peas, most beans are hard and therefore need to be soaked several hours or overnight before cooking in order to improve their digestibility.

In the Far East, a strip of kombu sea vegetable is traditionally added to beans. This combination improves the flavor of the beans, and adds minerals from the sea which makes for a more balanced and more digestible dish. Simply add a 3" to 6" long strip of kombu that has been rinsed and soaked for a few minutes in cold water to the bottom of the pot and place the beans on top. The kombu may also be soaked together with the beans.

Beans may be boiled, pressure cooked, or more occasionally, baked (condition permitting). Please do not add the salt at the beginning of cooking, but when the beans are about 80% done. If you pressure cook the beans, open the pressure cooker, add the salt, miso or shoyu/soy sauce, and continue gently simmering without a lid until any excess liquid evaporates.


NOTE: To facilitate the digestion of beans -

1) Discard the soaking water

2) Skim off any foam that may arise at the beginning of the cooking time,

3) Cook with chopped kombu and with vegetables such as carrots and onion,

4) Cook without a cover at the beginning of cooking.


BEAN DISH COMBINATION ALTERNATIVES: