CONCEPT 29: BAKING SODA MAKES BEANS AND GRAINS SOFT

Question 1

Besides brining, what else helps beans become soft and cook faster?

Answer 1

Creating an alkaline environment.

Question 2

Are baking soda and sodium bicarbonate the same thing?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

Is baking soda a alkali?

Answer 3

Yes

Question 4

What does an alkaline environment do to pectin? How does this helps beans?

Answer 4

Breaks it down into smaller water-soluble fragments. This causes cell walls within the beans to weaken, allowing water to be absorbed at a faster rate; beans become tender and cook more quickly.

Question 5

What happens if you use too much baking soda?

Answer 5

You end up with a bitter, soapy flavor.

Question 6

Besides making beans more tender and cook faster, how else does baking soda help?

Answer 6

Used to set the color of black beans, preventing them from turning grayish-purple when cooked.

Question 7

Why do black beans change color when cooked?

Answer 7

The coating of black beans contains anthocyanins (color pigments) that change color with alterations in pH; a more alkaline broth makes them darker, acidic makes them lighter.

Question 8

How much baking soda is used to offset anthocyanins?

Answer 8

A mere 1/8 tsp at the outset.

Question 9

Signs of “hard water.”

Answer 9

Mineral deposits in pots, green rings in porcelain sinks or tubs.

Question 10

Water rich in calcium, magnesium and other ions.

Answer 10

Hard water

Question 11

Possible issue if you find yourself with a pot of beans that will not soften in the recommended cooking time.

Answer 11

Hard water

Question 12

As with beans, can the same science be used to shorten the cooking time of grains like polenta and cornmeal?

Answer 12

Yes

Question 13

In a bean, water has to penetrate a hard outer skin, through a very specific region called?

Answer 13

It must pass through the hilum in order to gelatinize the starch within.

Question 14

In cornmeal, the water has to penetrate the cell walls within the __________ to gelatinize starch granules.

Answer 14

Endosperm

Question 15

Is endosperm the starchy part of a corn kernel?

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

Corn cells, like bean cells, contain a lot of ______.

Answer 16

Pectin

Question 17

Does the alkaline sodium bicarbonate help cook corn and beans in half the time?

Answer 17

Yes

Question 18

TEST KITCHEN: BEANS COOKED IN AN ALKALINE, NEUTRAL AND ACIDIC BROTH.

Answer 18

When beans in alkaline environment turned tender the others were far behind. Those in plain water only slightly softened after 45 minutes; acidic were still rock hard.

Question 19

Why should you be careful when cooking legumes with acidic ingredients?

Answer 19

The acidic environment will cause their cell structure to become so firm that they remain rock hard.

Question 20

When should you add acidic ingredients to legumes? How does this also helps the acid? What about products that need to be cooked?

Answer 20

Adding toward the end allows legumes to soften and preserves the flavor of acidic ingredients. Tomatoes can be added after beans have become very soft since they need some cooking time; can also be cooked separately and added later.

Question 21

Do liquids evaporate faster in the oven when using heavy cast-iron Dutch ovens or lighter pots?

Answer 21

Heavier gauge pots and pans evaporate moisture faster; add more liquid when using them.

Question 22

Canonical ingredients of Boston baked beans.

Answer 22

Beans, pork, molasses, mustard and sometimes onion.

Question 23

Why was using 1 tbsp of baking soda ok for the Boston baked beans recipe?

Answer 23

The bean (2 1/2 cups), water (3qt) and baking soda (1tbsp) were simmered for 20 minutes and drain/rinse; most is washed down the drain with simmering liquid.

Question 24

Do authentic Boston baked beans start with hard beans?

Answer 24

Yes, simmered for hours.

Question 25

Why was it ok to add acidic ingredients at onset of Boston baked beans recipe?

Answer 25

Beans were precooked and thus are already partially soft, it’s OK to add acidic ingredients.

Question 26

What does removing the lid the last 30 minutes do for their Boston baked beans recipe?

Answer 26

Thicken the sauce by evaporating moisture.

Question 27

Precooked, quick-soaked beans produce the least amount of _______.

Answer 27

Gas

Question 28

The creation of unwanted intestinal gas from beans begins with what?

Answer 28

Small chains of carbohydrates called oligosaccharides into the large intestines.

Question 29

Why do oligosaccharides produce gas?

Answer 29

People cannot efficiently digest these molecules, but bacteria residing at the end of the gut can, and they produce gas as a byproduct.

Question 30

Ingredients purported to “neutralize” the offensive compounds in beans.

Answer 30

Epazote, kombu (giant kelp), bay leaves and baking soda.

Question 31

Does the quick-soak method produce more broken beans in the finished product?

Answer 31

Yes

Question 32

One of the most prevalent small carbohydrates in black beans.

Answer 32

Stachyose

Question 33

Stachyose was reduced by _____% in a quick-soak and _____% after an overnight soak.

Answer 33

42.5, 28

Question 34

What is tahini?

Answer 34

A thick paste made from ground sesame seeds.

Question 35

Two good tahini brands.

Answer 35

Joyva Sesame Tahini and Krinos Tahini.

Question 36

How do different brands of tahini vary?

Answer 36

In fat and flavor, with some carrying bitter off-tastes.

Question 37

What is chipotle in adobo?

Answer 37

Smoked jalapeños packed is a seasoned tomato-vinegar sauce.

Question 38

Should you simmer canned beans in soups for best results?

Answer 38

Yes

Question 39

Why would dried beans always be the first choice in soups?

Answer 39

Because they soak up any flavor in the broth.

Question 40

What was discovered when comparing cooking times for canned beans?

Answer 40

Canned beans that were simmered for 30 minutes tasted significantly better than those simmered for only 5 minutes.

Question 41

Do canned beans pick up flavor from the broth?

Answer 41

Yes, but not nearly the amount dry beans will.

Question 42

How do you tell if your dried beans are fresh or old?

Answer 42

It’s hard to tell when they’re dry, but stale dried bean wrinkle during soaking.

Question 43

Do bean bags contain a “sell by” date?

Answer 43

No, this is why telling their age is so difficult.

Question 44

What part of the bean attaches to the pod?

Answer 44

The hilum

Question 45

What are “checks?”

Answer 45

Holes that develop in their seed coats.

Question 46

What causes “checks?”

Answer 46

When beans aren’t handles well, undergo fluctuations in temp, moisture and fungi growth.

Question 47

Why are “checks” bad?

Answer 47

They admit water, wrinkling the bean.

Question 48

Why should you mix a slurry with cold water instead of hot?

Answer 48

Hot water will immediately wet the surface of the starch granules, causing them to stick together before they disperse, and the clusters of granules that stick together will remain dry in their center.

Question 49

What can help offset the heat a black bean soup’s heat?

Answer 49

Sour cream and avocado.

Question 50

What do red onion and minced cilantro add to black bean soup?

Answer 50

Freshness

Question 51

Do wedges of lime accentuate a bright flavor that is already present in the right soup?

Answer 51

Yes

Question 52

Name three types of wild mushroom.

Answer 52

Oyster, cremini and shiitake.

Question 53

What happens if you don’t stir polenta almost constantly?

Answer 53

It forms intractable lumps.

Question 54

Too much baking soda does what to polenta?

Answer 54

Turns it gluey and lends a strange , toasted, chemical flavor.

Question 55

Do you always have to stir polenta?

Answer 55

No, adding baking soda, low heat and a lid will yield perfectly creamy polenta; one stir when the cornmeal goes in and another 5 minutes later.

Question 56

Two labels supermarkets put on cornmeal.

Answer 56

Anything from yellow grits to corn semolina.

Question 57

What three things should be considered when choosing polenta?

Answer 57

“Instant” or “quick-cooking” versus the traditional style, degerminated or full-grain meal, and grain size.

Question 58

What should be noted about instant and quick-cooking cornmeal?

Answer 58

They’re parcooked and comparatively bland–leave them on the shelf.

Question 59

What should be noted about full-grain cornmeal?

Answer 59

Though it has a full-corn flavor, it remains slightly gritty no matter how long you cook it.

Question 60

What should be noted about degerminated cornmeal?

Answer 60

The hard hull and germ are removed from each kernel.

Question 61

How can you tell if your cornmeal was degerminated?

Answer 61

Check the back label or ingredient list to see. If it’s not explicitly labeled as such, you can assume it’s whole grain.

Question 62

Which grind brings the most “pillowy” texture?

Answer 62

Coarse

Question 63

Does grind coarseness vary dramatically from brand to brand?

Answer 63

Yes, there are no standards to ensure consistency; one manufacturers “coarse” may be another’s “fine.”

Question 64

What does coarse cornmeal look like?

Answer 64

Pieces of couscous; fine looks like grains of sand.