Dried beans and other legumes expand to two to three times their volume while soaking and cooking. Add the foam that rises during boiling, and a pot filled to the brim will inevitably boil over. Spilled water dirties the stove, can extinguish the flame, and may leave a burnt smell. Do not fill the pot more than halfway; spread the beans in one layer, cover them with a few finger-widths of water, and leave room for them to expand.
The volume of dried legumes is not fixed. A 200 ml measure of dried chickpeas expands to more than two 200 ml measures when soaked, and grows further during cooking; dried beans expand at a similar rate. This growth comes from the beans absorbing water and cannot be stopped. Account for an increase to 2 to 3 times the original volume when choosing a pot. Choosing a small pot for a handful of legumes can mean having to transfer everything to another container in the middle of cooking. For that reason, when you use twice the recipe amount of legumes, choose a pot one size larger too.
Foam is the second factor. As legumes boil, dense white foam made of substances released from the beans rises to the surface and quickly forms a high layer. If the water level is already high, the foam soon reaches the rim and spills over. You can skim it off with a slotted spoon, but it forms again each time; the real solution is to leave room from the start. Rinse the slotted spoon each time you skim so the foam it collects does not drip back into the pot. Collect the skimmed foam in a separate bowl and discard it when cooking is finished.
Boiling over causes more than a mess. Starchy water spills onto the stove, burns, and sticks, making it hard to clean later; on a gas stove, it can extinguish the flame while leaving the gas on. On an electric stove, spilled water can get beneath the heating element and cause a malfunction. Do not fill the pot more than halfway, and do not leave it unattended for a long time while cooking. A cloth placed around the stove can also help keep spilled water from spreading and make cleanup easier.
Check the water level too. Spread the legumes in one layer across the bottom of the pot and cover them with a few finger-widths of water. As they cook, they absorb some of the water and some evaporates; if the level drops, add hot water. Cold water can crack the skins and lengthen the cooking time. Do not remove the pot from the heat when adding water; just lower the heat for a little while. Check the water level periodically; any beans left above the surface will stay firm right there.
The lid is also part of managing the foam. A fully closed lid traps steam, increases pressure, and pushes the foam upward. Leaving the lid slightly ajar or placing a wooden spoon under it reduces this pressure. Adding a 15 ml measure of liquid oil to the pot also noticeably reduces the foam; the oil disrupts the surface of the foam bubbles and keeps them from rising. The oil does not affect the flavor because the amount used does not exceed a spoonful.
Comments (2)
Bir bardak nohudun piştikten sonra ne kadar yer kapladığını hesap edememek bende de klasik hataydı, tencere köpükle taştı. Ocağın gözü ve altındaki tepsi bembeyaz olmuştu. Artık ıslatma kabını da pişirme tencerem kadar büyük seçiyorum, iki aşamada da yer sorunu çıkmıyor.
Yarısına kadar kuralı düdüklüde daha da sıkı olmalı sanırım, orada köpüğün gidecek yeri yok.