When soaking chickpeas (garbanzo beans), do I discard floaters?

When soaking chickpeas (garbanzo beans), do I discard floaters? - Chickpeas on a Yellow Background

When I put my dried chickpeas in water to soak, some of them float. Should I throw these ones away, or are they okay?



Best Answer

Boy is THAT ever controversial. It seems that everybody has a theory as to why some beans float while most do not. The most common answer is that the "floaters" are older, and less hydrated to begin with. Some people insist that some beans float because worms have gotten into them. Hogwash, ignore those comments. The bottom line is that "floaters" are perfectly safe, and there is nothing "icky" about them, although they may take longer to fully cook. So, it becomes a matter of personal choice. If it's important to you that all of your chickpeas cook to exactly the same degree of tenderness, throw them out. If you don't mind a slightly (and I do mean slightly) chewier bean here and there, keep them. Personally, I keep them.

Welcome to Seasoned Advice by the way, great first question!




Pictures about "When soaking chickpeas (garbanzo beans), do I discard floaters?"

When soaking chickpeas (garbanzo beans), do I discard floaters? - Overhead Shot of Hummus Near a Sliced Lemon
When soaking chickpeas (garbanzo beans), do I discard floaters? - Photo of Hummus and Bread on Top of a Chopping Board
When soaking chickpeas (garbanzo beans), do I discard floaters? - Photograph of a Person's Hands Near Hummus and Bread



Quick Answer about "When soaking chickpeas (garbanzo beans), do I discard floaters?"

The bottom line is that "floaters" are perfectly safe, and there is nothing "icky" about them, although they may take longer to fully cook. So, it becomes a matter of personal choice. If it's important to you that all of your chickpeas cook to exactly the same degree of tenderness, throw them out.

Should you discard beans that float?

Discard any beans that float to the surface. A little knowledge of cooking chemistry will produce a perfect pot of beans once you begin the final cooking: Don't add salt to the soaking water, or to the cooking water until the beans are tender. Salt will form a barrier on the seed coating, blocking water absorption.

Do you drain chickpeas before using?

Soak the chickpeas as suggested above \u2014 use either the long or quick method. Drain the soaked chickpeas, and then cook according to the stovetop directions in this article, but be more accurate when measuring the beans and cooking water. For 1 pound (2 cups) of chickpeas, you will need 8 cups of water.

What is the white foam when cooking chickpeas?

It's Called Aquafaba While soaking pulses like peas, chickpeas, and white beans, some of their starches, protein, B-vitamins, zinc, and iron leach into the water creating aquafaba,\u201d explains Toby Amidor, MS, RD, food safety expert and Wall Street Journal best-selling cookbook author.

Do you need to rinse chickpeas after soaking?

Soak 1/2 cup dried chickpeas for 12 hours. Drain, rinse, and add the soaked chickpeas to a pot. Cover by a few inches with water, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook at a simmer until tender, about 90 minutes to 2 hours.



HOW TO: Cook Dried Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans) | Pantry Staple




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Markus Winkler, Nataliya Vaitkevich, Nataliya Vaitkevich, Nataliya Vaitkevich