Beans Kidney dark red (Dark Red Kidney)
(rajma India, surkh lobia Pakistan)
Among the variety of bean has a separate group – Kidney – so named because of the visual resemblance (shape and color) from a human kidney. Previously, there was only Dark Red Kidney, now the group has become more due to the purple, red, variegated, and even black beans. Let’s talk about the founder!
Kidney – a kind of common bean from South America, most likely, from Peru. Spread first throughout South and Central America, as a result of the migration of trading through the Spanish ships in the XV century, it came to Europe. Then traders from Portugal and Spain brought it to Africa and Asia. There they become low-cost, but high-quality source of vegetable protein, and then quickly won the love of the whole world. Today, the largest producers of dry beans were India, China, Indonesia, Brazil and the United States.
Most popular in chili con carne and rice dishes (especially the Creole cuisine), for example, in soups, stews and salads.
As a form of kidney bean – Kidney – as well as other kinds is an excellent tool for reducing blood cholesterol and stabilizes blood sugar right after a meal. In combination with rice, especially with wild it – a source of high quality plant protein.
How to cook
Thick and dense peel Kidney require long cooking. At the same time, even if you have digested this bit of beans, it will retain its original shape. And another plus, this bean perfectly absorbs surrounding its aromas and flavors, so it is tasty in boiled and stewed, if prepared with the addition of spices, herbs and high-quality oil.
To reduce the cooking time and to facilitate the assimilation of beans, it should be pre-soak. To do this, you can boil the beans for 2 minutes, remove it from the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave for 2 hours. Alternative: Pour the beans with water and remove the pan in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. Before cooking, regardless of the method chosen, the liquid should be drained and rinsed beans under running water.
Next Kidney can be cooked on the stove or use a pressure cooker. In the first case it is necessary to pour the beans (after soaking) drinking water or broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat, almost completely covering the pot lid. If the foam is formed, it should be removed.
Kidney usually necessary to cook 1-1.5 hours. When cooked in a pressure cooker, then it will take 30 minutes.
Tip: Regardless of the method of preparation do not add salt during cooking and seasoning with bright dominant sour taste, such as lemon juice. Beans become tougher and it will increase the time of its preparation. Such ingredients are best added at the very end of cooking.
A few ideas for cooking with beans Kidney:
1. Mix Kidney with white and black bean salad and cook, adding a green salad, bread croutons and baked peppers
2. Mix Kidney fleshy tomatoes, and green onions – for lettuce.
3. Make a sandwich with beans, corn bread, grated cheese and semi-spicy greens.
4. Beat in the blender bowl Kidney, garlic, cumin and chili. Use spreads like to toast of rustic bread.
5. Make a vegetarian tacos, using chopped Kidney instead of ground beef.
How to choose and store
Dry beans should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry and dark place for up to 6 months. If you bought the beans at different times and in different stores, do not mix them in one container. They may be of varying degrees of dryness and therefore require different cooking times.
Cooked Kidney Beans – a perishable product and keep it more than a day, even in the refrigerator, better not.
