Black bean and red bean porridge are popular summer refreshments. The methods to cook these types of porridge are simple. On hot summer days, you can cook a pot of porridge for your family to enjoy together.
As we know, black beans and red beans take a long time to become soft. Without a pressure cooker, it takes 30 to 40 minutes to soften the beans.
However, you can soften beans faster, and it does not take much cooking time using the tips below.
Soak beans in water
Before cooking bean porridge, you need to soak the beans in cold water for 8 to 12 hours so that the beans can absorb the water and soften up. If you are cooking porridge in the morning, you should soak the beans overnight. If you want to eat porridge in the afternoon or evening, soak the beans in the morning so that, after work, you can cook the porridge right away.
If you do not have time to wait, you can soak beans in warm water for 2 to 4 hours.
If you need to cook right away, place the beans in a pot with water and boil for about 2 minutes; then, turn off the heat. Soak the beans in the hot water until the water cools and then drain the water and cook the beans as usual.
For black beans and red beans to soften, before cooking, you have to soak the beans in water for 8 hours.
Freeze the beans before cooking
To soften beans quickly without having to boil them for a long time, you can freeze the beans.
After soaking the beans, drain them and place them in a container or freezer bag. Then, put them in the freezer for more than 6 hours or overnight. You can soak as many beans as you like and divide them into small containers or bags for easy use. Each time you want to cook, you only need to take out one container.
When you are ready to cook, boil some water and then put the frozen beans in. Bring the water back to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Use a spoon to stir the beans so that they can expand and cook evenly.
Add sugar according to your taste and cook until the sugar dissolves. Check the softness of the beans and make sure they are cooked to your preference. If the beans are not soft enough, you can add them to the heat for about 10 more minutes.
Cook over low heat
When cooking black bean or red bean porridge, you should reduce the heat after the water boils. This method helps the beans to soften while retaining their nutrients and prevents the water from evaporating too quickly, leaving the beans undercooked.
Add hot water
If the water evaporates during the cooking process, add more hot water. Hot water maintains a steady temperature that helps the beans to soften and cook through.
Do not add sugar too early
If you add sugar at the beginning, the beans will become hard and take longer to soften. Therefore, cook the beans until they are soft before adding sugar and a little bit of salt. Cook for a little while longer so that the sugar and salt can dissolve and soak into the beans.
Some people do not add sugar while cooking the beans. Instead, they wait until the beans are soft, then drain off the liquid. Add sugar to the beans and mix well. Sauté the beans with the sugar over low heat until the sugar dissolves and coats the beans. Then, add the reserved bean liquid to the pot, bring to a boil, and turn off the heat.
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