To soak or not? The big legume guide for your kitchen

Have you ever stood in the middle of the kitchen with a packet of lentils in your hands, wondering – should I soak them overnight, or can I start cooking them right away? You're not alone! The world of legumes is full of little secrets that, once discovered, make cooking an easy and enjoyable process.

Why soak at all?

Soaking isn't just about saving time when cooking. It's an essential step to:

• Reduce phytic acid: It can inhibit the absorption of minerals.
• Improves digestion: Soaking helps break down complex sugars that often cause bloating.
• Even texture: So that the beans don't crack and aren't "hard in the middle."

Speaker: Who needs a bath?

To save you the guesswork, we've prepared a simple list that you can save to your phone or print out and put on your fridge.

1. Must soak (8-12 hours):

Here you can find all the large legumes that you can buy in the IEBER.LV online store :

• Chickpeas (great in hummus or for crunchy snacks);
• Large beans (for classic soups and stews);
• Grey peas (a Latvian classic for which soaking is critically important).

2. You can't soak (but you can):

• Green and brown lentils: They will cook in 20-30 minutes, retaining their shape.
• Mung beans: Tender and quick to cook.

3. Never soak:

• Red lentils : They are split and quickly "melt" during cooking, creating a creamy texture in soups and curries.
• Split peas: Already mechanically processed to cook faster.

Did you know? Companies that care about employee energy are increasingly choosing IEBER.LV healthy snack sets for offices. A healthy employee is a happy employee!

Choose the best for your family and nature – shop waste-free and receive your order conveniently at the nearest parcel terminal!