Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site amdahl.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!oliveb!hplabs!amdahl!ems From: ems@amdahl.UUCP (ems) Newsgroups: net.cooks Subject: Re: Draining soaked beans Message-ID: <1795@amdahl.UUCP> Date: Mon, 15-Jul-85 16:26:44 EDT Article-I.D.: amdahl.1795 Posted: Mon Jul 15 16:26:44 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 18-Jul-85 06:13:38 EDT References: <11450@brl-tgr.ARPA> Distribution: net Organization: Circle C Shellfish Ranch, Shores-of-the-Pacific, Ca Lines: 22 > The recent posting of the "Frugal Gourmet"'s red-beans-and-rice recipe > mentioned the concept of soaking dried beans overnight, and then > draining them and discarding the water they had soaked in, and then, > when cooking the beans, adding more fresh water. I have seen this in > other recipes, too. Does anyone know why this is done? > One of the reasons I have heard is that the water leaches out the substance responsible for "gas". This was attributed to a non-digestible sugar, a pentose. This seemed a bit odd to me so I conducted a test. One batch soaked and cooked, the other soaked, drained, soaked, drained, and cooked. Couldn't tell much difference, though there did seem to be a little less gas... Anyone out there in net.land know if there is any truth to this particular wives tale? -- E. Michael Smith ...!{hplabs,ihnp4,amd,nsc}!amdahl!ems This is the obligatory disclaimer of everything. (Including but not limited to: typos, spelling, diction, logic, and nuclear war)