How To Cook Red Beans

Red kidney beans are also known as the common beans. The red kidney beans are also very nutritious like is the case with most beans. These beans are especially rich in fiber content which is ideal for people suffering from diabetics as it tends to lower their sugar levels from dangerously high levels to more manageable thresholds. They also contain significant levels of manganese and proteins which are important in the human body apart from fiber. The red kidney beans also have iron, potassium, thiamine, selenium, vitamin B6, calcium, folic acid, starch and dietary fiber. When combined with some whole grains, these beans form a diet that is free of fat for those who watch what they eat. Read on and find out how to cook red beans.

Before you actually embark on preparing any type of beans, you'll have to soak them first in water. The act of soaking the red kidney beans in water serves two purposes which are breaking down the poisonous compound known as lectin phytohaemagglutinin which is also found in other species of beans although it is highly concentrated in red kidney beans as well as softening them a little bit. The lectin compound causes severe gastric upsets if the beans are not soaked. If you intend to use a Crockpot to prepare the beans, avoid it as it has low temperature levels which are not enough to neutralize the lectin phytohaemagglutinin compound. This is significant as concerns any recipe that might have the red kidney beans among the ingredients. Beans are an integral part of our diets although they should be consumed in modest quantities as they have been found to contain purines. The substance purine causes gout, high uric acid levels as well as kidney stones when consumed in large servings.

The ingredients that you will require to make slow cooked herbed red kidney beans include: 1 cup of red kidney beans that have been in water for an hour, 10 pieces of chorizo sliced thinly, 1 green bell pepper sliced, 2 white onions that have been peeled and sliced, 3 cups of water, 6 garlic cloves peeled and chopped, 2 crushed bay leaves, ? cup celery, 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon ground pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, ? cup chopped green onions, 3 cups of ready white rice.

Into the slow cooker or pot, place all your ingredients except the green onions and the white rice. Set the cooker into high heat and proceed to cook the beans for approximately 4 hours. After this period elapses, set the cooker settings to low and cook the beans for an extra one hour. Serve the beans with the white rice and top them up with green onions. Apart from this recipe, there are other recipe ideas that you can adopt to prepare the red kidney beans. This can serve 4 or 5 people.

By: Louise Kalyn

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This article touched the basics of the topic. I have 2 more resources related to the above. They are how to cook red beans and at my blog recipe ideas. Do consider reading them.