Differences in cooking time among legumes are measured in hours, not minutes. Red lentils fall apart in half an hour, while chickpeas have not even begun to soften. In a pot of mixed legumes, one type turns to puree while another stays firm, leaving the two types wrong for the dish. That is why they are cooked separately and combined at the end; if using one pot, add them in order according to their cooking times.
Cooking time for legumes is determined by the size of the seed and the thickness of its skin. Red lentils are small and hulled; they fall apart before the half-hour mark. Green lentils hold up a little longer because they still have their skins. Chickpeas and dried beans are larger and have thicker skins; even after soaking, they need a measured-in-hours cooking time. The difference among these three groups makes cooking them together in one pot impractical from the start. You can see the difference right away by comparing the cooking times on the packages. Soaking requirements differ, too: some types soak for hours, while others do not need soaking at all.
The result is clear in the pot. In a mixture cooked until the chickpeas are tender, the lentils have already dissolved into the water and left it soup-like. If you take the pot off early to keep the lentils from breaking down, the chickpeas stay firm and undercooked. Whichever cooking time you choose, one type will be overcooked or undercooked. Trying to find a middle ground does not help; then the two types are wrong. That is why mixed-legume packages are usually sold for soups and purees. It is difficult to use a ready-made mix in recipes where the legumes are expected to stay whole.
The most reliable solution is to cook them separately. Boil each type in its own pot for its own length of time; when all are ready, drain them and combine them in the same dish. This method dirties one extra pot but ensures a predictable result. It is almost essential for salads and mezze, where every legume is expected to stay whole. Toss the cooked legumes with the dressing after combining them. Cooking two pots at once on the same stove does not increase the total time. When one pot is done, drain the legumes and set them aside; they do not need to stay warm.
If using one pot, plan the order. Add the type that takes the longest first; as it approaches its cooking time, add the others in sequence so they all finish at the same time. This requires knowing the approximate cooking time for each type, so take notes on the first attempt. If dried beans are included, the rule to maintain a full boil for the first 10 minutes still applies; do not skip this step just because another type has been added. Add the later types along with hot water; adding cold water stops the boil.
Color is a separate consideration. Black beans, cranberry beans, and red lentils visibly color the water; pale chickpeas and white beans cooked in the same pot take on that color. If appearance matters, always cook the dark-colored legumes separately. For recipes where everything is mixed together, such as soups and purees, this concern goes away and one pot is enough. For dishes where color matters, rinse the dark-colored types separately before combining them.
Comments (2)
Karışık bakliyat çorbası yapıp mercimeği eritmiştim, nohutlar hâlâ diriydi. Ayrı pişirip birleştirmek zahmetli ama başka yolu yok gibi. Bir de şunu fark ettim: aynı tencerede pişirince mercimeğin dağılan kısmı suyu koyulaştırıp nohudun pişmesini daha da yavaşlatıyor.
Ayrı pişirmek bulaşığı üçe katlıyor. Nohutu önce koyup mercimeği son yirmi dakikada eklemek de olmuyor mu?
Oluyor, kabul edilebilir bir orta yol. Yalnız nohutun pişme suyu o zamana kadar nişastalanmış oluyor ve mercimek o suda daha çabuk dağılıyor; mercimeği ayrı haşlayıp süzerek eklemek daha net sonuç veriyor.