Wizard Recipes

For many cultures, beans and grains are the major source of protein. Although this low fat, high-fiber dynamic duo also provides a healthful amount of minerals and vitamins, the protein in beans or grains alone is incomplete.

Luckily, the amino acids missing from beans can be found in grains, and vice versa, so when served together, they create a complete protein. Beans or grains can also be served along with small amounts of meat or dairy to complete the protein.

Dry beans encompass a variety of legumes, including split peas and lentils. Since tofu is made from soybeans (actually soy milk), it is included here as well.

Dry beans keep for about one year, but they become less flavorful and drier as time passes, and older beans take longer to cook. Buy them in small quantities and use within six months. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Canned beans are a great time-saver because they don’t require soaking or cooking. However, they do need to be rinsed under cold water and drained before being used. This quick rinse freshens their flavor and removes some of their sodium. One can of beans (15 to 19 ounces) yields about 2 cups beans once drained.

SOAKING  DRY BEANS

Before soaking, always sort through beans to remove tiny stones or debris. Place the beans in a colander and rinse well with cold water. Transfer the beans to a bowl. (Dry beans rehydrate to at least double their size, so use a large bowl.) Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches.

The standard overnight soaking time is really for the cook’s convenience. The job is done when the beans have swelled to about double their size, which takes about four hours, but beans can be soaked for up to 24 hours. In hot weather, to prevent the beans from fermenting, refrigerate them while they soak.

When time is of the essence, use this quick-soak technique: Combine the beans and water in a pot and heat to boiling; cook for three minutes. Remove from the heat, cover tightly, and set aside for one hour. Drain and rinse the beans.

COOKING DRY BEANS

There are two reasons to soak dried beans before they’re cooked. Soaking returns moisture to the beans and softens them. In so doing, it reduces the cooking time and also allows some of the hard-to-digest complex sugars to dissolve in the water.

There is an enormous range of cooking times for dry beans. Use the directions on the package as a guide, then taste often to check for doneness.

Dry beans should always be cooked in soft water or they will be tough. If you live in an area with hard water, be sure to add a pinch of baking soda to the cooking water. Because water boils at a lower temperature at high altitudes, beans will take longer to cook, so be sure they are well soaked and softened before cooking.

Adding salt to beans at the beginning of cooking toughens the skins and increases the cooking time. But beans usually taste better when seasoned early, so we often use a minimal amount of salt when the cooking begins, then add the remainder at the end.

BEAN YIELDS

Although the volume changes with each bean variety, in general, 1 cup dried beans yields about 2 cups cooked beans. Large beans, like limas, yield about 21?2 cups, whereas small beans, such as black beans, yield just under 2 cups. Cover leftover cooked beans with some of their cooking liquid in airtight containers; refrigerate for up to five days or freeze for up to six months.

BEANS  AND BEAN PRODUCTS  GLOSSARY

Black Also called turtle beans. They’re the major component of black bean soup and burrito fillings; often mixed with rice for greater nutrition.

Black-eyed peas Beige beans with a black circular “eye,” they are also called cowpeas.

Fava Also known as broad beans, these flat light-brown beans resemble large limas.

Garbanzo Also called chickpeas, they’re best known as the base for hummus.

Great Northern These white beans have a delicate flavor. They can be used in place of other white beans in most recipes.

Lima Also called butter beans, these large oval beans hold their shape well when cooked.

Miso Used in Japanese cooking, this is a salty paste made from fermented soybeans. Several varieties are available: the lighter the color, the milder the flavor.

Navy (pea) Small white beans, also called Yankee beans. They’re most often used in baked bean dishes.

Pinto Spanish for “speckled,” these pale pink beans have reddish brown streaks. They are used in refried beans, soups, and stews.

Red Small red beans that are the main ingredient in red beans and rice. They are also called chili or Mexican red beans.

Red kidney Good all-purpose beans that have a firm, burgundy-colored skin, sweet and pale flesh, and a slightly mealy texture.

Split peas (yellow or green) Dried peas that have been peeled and split in half.

Tofu Made from soy milk that has been coagulated and pressed into cubes. Tofu can be extra-firm, firm, or soft. Silken tofu, sold in aseptic boxes, has not been pressed. Available soft or firm, this tofu is more delicate than the pressed variety.

White kidney (cannellini) These beans are creamier and milder than the red variety

Soybean-based products take many forms. Besides oil that is pressed from soybeans, soy food products include the following:

Miso-Miso is a salty, strong-flavored paste made by fermenting soybean meal and a grain, such as rice or wheat. It is used as a flavor enhancer and thickening agent in many Asian dishes. Colors range from light yellow to dark orange, depending on the type of soybean used to make the miso.

Soy flour-Many prepared foods include soy flour, which can be made from whole soybeans or soybean meal.

Soy nuts-Roasted soybeans, commonly eaten as a snack.

Soy sauce-Another product made from fermented soybeans, soy sauce is an essential condiment and cooking ingredient in Asian cuisine. To make soy sauce, soybeans or soy meal is mixed with ground wheat. Fermentation may take 1 to 3 months.

Soybean sprouts-As the name suggests, these are germinated soybeans. They are used in salads and as a garnish.

Soybean milk-Soybean milk is made from soybeans that are soaked, ground, heated, and then filtered. Soy milk is a part of many baby formulas for infants who are lactose-intolerant. Soy milk can be drunk as a beverage. Dried soy milk is sometimes added to products such as ice cream.

Tempeh-An essential component in Indonesian cooking, tempeh is a meat substitute that is made from soybeans that are soaked, dehulled, cooked, and then fermented. Tempeh can be formed or made into patties. Tempeh is available in the United States in health food stores.

Tofu-Made by coagulating the protein from soy beans, tofu is a high-protein curd that is used in many Asian dishes. Tofu is sold in blocks and is often used in place of meat. It generally has a spongy texture.

It can be cooked in a variety of ways to make dressings, dips, and shakes. It picks up the flavor of marinades and thus will taste like meat in many dishes.

Yuba-A product made of the protein-rich skin that forms on the top of soybean milk when heated just to boiling, yuba has a stringy, chewy texture.

It is made of protein and oil and is often used to produce imitation meat products.

If the only soy in your diet comes from the soy sauce you sprinkle on chow mein, you may be missing out on more than just a tasty and versatile food. Soy is an inexpensive way to add protein to your diet and may also help reduce fat when substituted for meat in traditional dishes.

Soy products come from the soybean, a legume native to northern China. The United States now produces much of the world’s soybeans. There are more than 1,000 varieties of soybeans.

They range in size from a pea to a cherry. Colors include red, yellow, green, brown, and black. The protein in soy is a “complete” protein - the most complete you can get from vegetable sources - and just as good nutritionally as animal protein.

In fact, there is more protein in 1 cup of soybeans than in 3 ounces of cooked meat. In addition, so beans are an excellent source of a variety of nutrients, including iron, vitamin B6, and phosphorus, and a good source of potassium and calcium. Also, they are rich in the phytochemicals called isoflavones.

Soybeans are usually processed into other products. For example, soy oil is used to make ink for newspapers. Soybean products are added to a variety of foods during processing. Many foods, though, are made almost entirely from soy.

For cultures in which soy is the main source of protein, rates of cardiovascular disease and some kinds of cancers are relatively low. Researchers are also looking into whether soy plays a role in preventing osteoporosis and easing hot flashes associated with menopause. Some studies suggest there may be a link.

Although it may be too early to make specific health claims for soy, there is evidence that adding soy to your diet makes good nutritional sense. And, you may just discover a whole new range of healthful food products to enjoy.

Preparation Tips

Generally, the soybeans now being incorporated into food are already processed, such as the soybean oil in margarines and salad dressings and the soy protein in baby formula and meat substitutes. Or, they may already be incorporated into food products, such as tofu.

Dried soybeans are often available at health food stores. They need to be soaked before cooking to soften them. They are usually simmered, sometimes up to 9 hours, before they are softened enough to eat. Fresh and frozen soybeans are now appearing in markets.

Many cooks recommend cooking soybeans with full-flavored items because they are rather flavorless by themselves.

Serving Suggestions

Although Americans generally eat soy as part of other products, soybeans can be eaten fresh, roasted, ground into flour, or pressed into oil. The Chinese first invented soy sauce, then the Japanese borrowed the process to make their own sweeter version.

Dark and light varieties are available. Serve dark soy sauce with red meat and light soy sauce with chicken or seafood. Because of its high sodium level, it should be used sparingly if you are watching your salt intake.

Tofu, made from coagulating soy milk until it forms curds, is available in soft, firm, and extra-firm consistencies, depending on how much liquid was left in the pressed curds. Tofu can be used in salads, soups, and stir-fried dishes.

To a meat eater, the idea of a vegetarian diet might seem monotonous or boring, but the reality can be the opposite. A typical meat-based diet often features the same few meats-beef,pork,chicken,and occasionally fish-over and over,accompanied by the same few simple vegetable side dishes and potatoes.

By contrast, a diet in which vegetables are the focus and not a routine side dish can feature dozens of fresh vegetables, a great variety of grains and legumes, and, for at least some vegetarians, dairy products and possibly eggs to round out the selection.

The appeal of vegetarian menus can be seen in many fine restaurants that feature tasting menus .At such restaurants,the dinner menu each evening may offer a multi-course vegetarian menu in addition to the meat and seafood options

INGREDIENTS

Because animal protein is omitted from vegetarian diets, some important ingredients get more attention than they do in meat diets.Several categories of plant foods take on the role of main courses.

Dried Legumes

Dried beans, peas, and lentils are some of the most important sources of proteins for vegans and other vegetarians.

One legume is the peanut,which is not a nut but a legume with an unusual growing habit. As the plants grow,the branches bearing the pods bend to the ground so the pods develop underground. Although peanuts are used in the kitchen like other nuts,nutritionally they are similar to other legumes.Keep this in mind when planning complementary proteins.

Dried soybeans are high in protein, but they are rarely cooked and served like other dried beans.They are very hard and take hours of cooking if whole, and when cooked they do not appeal to most tastes.Furthermore,their protein is not as usable as the protein in products derived from soybeans,such as soy milk and tofu.These are so important that they are discussed separately below.

Grains

Like legumes, grains are sources of complementary proteins when eaten with legumes or dairy products.Of the grains , rice is no doubt the most important worldwide.Many vegans and other vegetarians use brown rice instead of white rice to take advantage of its vitamin and fiber content.

Wheat and corn are also important protein foods.In the form of bread, noodles,and tortillas, these grains are especially versatile. Don’t overlook the other grains. Products such as farro, barley, millet, and triticale add variety to the menu. Quinoa and amaranth are especially valuable for vegan diets because they contain complete protein.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds are rich in protein, so almonds, cashews, hazelnuts ,pecans, walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds are useful in vegetarian diets. They are high in fat, however, so they can’t be relied on as heavily as other vegetable proteins.

Nut butters,such as cashew butter and almond butter,are simply nuts or seeds that have been roasted and ground to a paste.They are a flavorful and attractive way to include these foods in a diet.Sesame butter, or tahini, is especially prominent in Mediterranean diets and is used in many recipes.See,for example,the recipe for hummus , which uses legumes (chickpeas) and seeds (tahini) to supply complementary proteins.

Soy Products

Borrowed from Asian cuisines, soy derivatives such as tofu have long been familiar in the West and have been important sources of protein for many people. Soy milk is made by soaking dried soybeans,draining them,grinding them,combining them with water, boiling, and then straining the resulting milky liquid.

Plain soy milk can be used in cooking and as a beverage.Many brands of flavored and sometimes sweetened soy beverages are also available, and these can also be used in coffee beverages and in desserts.

Tofu,or bean curd,is made by curdling soy milk,just as cheese is made by curdling dairy milk.The result is a soft, white cake with a mild, faintly beany flavor that is adaptable to many sauces and accompaniments.

Tofu is available in several varieties,described here.Most types are available packed in water in sealed plastic packages.It keeps well as long as it is unopened,but it should be used within a day or two of opening.

Japanese silken tofu is the softest type. Unlike other tofu varieties, the curd of silken tofu is not pressed to remove moisture.Silken tofu has the most delicate texture and also the mildest flavor. In Japan it is regularly eaten cold with a light dipping sauce, or it is diced and added as a garnish to miso soup.

Japanese cotton tofu is firmer than the silken variety and can stand up to more vigorous handling.It is often deep-fried or added to stir-fried dishes. Chinese firm tofu is the firmest of these three tofu types and is the coarsest in texture.It can be fried,stir-fried,grilled,baked in casseroles,simmered in stews,and put on skewers.

When tofu is to be marinated,fried,or stewed,removing excess moisture first helps the tofu absorb the added flavors more readily.Place the cakes of tofu on several layers of paper towels or on a perforated sheet pan, cover with several more layers of paper towels,place a weighted tray or sheet pan on top, and let stand for about 15 minutes.

To make tofu even firmer and less likely to break apart when cooked, press it as above and then deep-fry until it has a light golden color.Or drop it into simmering water and simmer for 5 minutes.Precooking coagulates the proteins,making them firmer.

Tempeh is a fermented soybean product that originated in Indonesia.In addition to the original versions made with only soybeans,it is also made from soy plus grains,including barley, millet, and rice.Tempeh is sold in cakes and has a dense,meaty texture. It can be sliced or diced and braised,sautéed,stir-fried,baked,and added to casseroles.

Miso, also called bean paste, is a paste made of fermented soybeans, sometimes with the addition of wheat, rice, or barley, depending on the variety.There are several types of miso ranging from light,sweet,and mild to dark, salty,and robust.The lightest, called white miso (shiromiso in Japanese) ,is yellow,with a sweet flavor and soft,moist texture.

It is often used in soups and in dressings or sauces for vegetables. Other light miso types may be darker yellow and saltier. Red miso (akamiso) is brown or reddish brown,salty,and fuller in flavor.It may be smooth or chunky.Red miso is used in soups and in cooked dishes rather than in uncooked dressings.

The thickest, darkest,strongest-tasting miso is hatcho miso.It is dark brown and thick enough to cut, almost like fudge. It is used in soups and cooked dishes.

Textured vegetable protein (TVP) is made from defatted soy flour, processed and dried to give it a spongelike texture. It is available unflavored or flavored to resemble various meats.To prepare TVP,mix with water,let stand until softened,and then add to recipes as you would meat.

Because it doesn’t taste exactly like real meat, it is best used in highly flavored or seasoned dishes such as chili.TVP is high in protein and fiber and free of cholesterol. It is useful on some menus for its nutritional value, but some vegetarians avoid it because they are not interested in highly processed foods that pretend to be meat.

Soybeans enjoy having their own privileged class. They are unique with an amazing protein content of 34 percent, one of the highest of all foods (compare that to meats that range from 15 to 22 percent). Yet, we hardly ever eat them. Even though they are an impressive source of protein, they have flunked the palatability test in every country anyone every tried to introduce soybeans as a staple. But all those soybeans are not wasted.

We use its oil either directly or indirectly in all kinds of consumables goods. The soybean protein is a prime animal feed, but it also provides a significant protein source in its many permutations for vegetarians.

Interestingly enough, soybeans are a very recent introduction to U.S. agriculture, yet in a few decades they have become her single largest cash crop. Although we don’t eat them either fresh or in dry form as we do other legumes, we consume plenty of them in other ways. Most of us have never had a bag of soybeans in our kitchen cupboards, yet we recognize the coagulated or fermented products derived from them.

Foods from the soybean

There are five soybean-derived foods (excluding oil) that you come across on many supermarket shelves. They were virtually unknown in North America in the 1940s and 1950s.

Two of these became fairly common: soy sauce (and its cousin tamari sauce) now in nearly every kitchen and tofu. The other three are not so well known: soy milk, tempeh and miso. Tofu and soy milk are unfermented, soy sauce, tempeh and miso are fermented products. The Chinese have been using fermented soybean products for at least 2200 years.

Tofu is soybean curd, very similar to unripened cheese curd both in flavor (they both have none) and the way they make them. First they soak the dry soybeans overnight. Then they crush and cook these lightly hydrated but still hard beans until they turn into a mush. After filtering off the liquid, which is the soy milk, they add calcium or magnesium salt to coagulate the curd. They put this semisoft solid into wooden forms and press it for several hours to squeeze more of the liquid whey out.

Starting with 4 pounds (4 kg) of dry soybeans they end up with about 6 pounds (6 kg) of tofu (the increased weight is water) plus the whey that they discard. Tofu is an ideal medium for bacterial growth and spoils very quickly at room temperature. That is no problem in the Orient where they eat tofu the same day they make it. The American food distribution system requires far longer shelflife than one day, so processors pasteurize tofu and seal it in a package for weeks of shelflife like they do cheeses.

Tofu comes in different textures from very soft, smooth, fragile, silken cakes to hard, solid, almost cheese-like bricks. The difference is in the amount of whey left in it. Soft tofu is about 85 percent, while the hard stuff is only 50 or 60 percent water. Hard tofu, often flavored with sugar, tea and spices, is the preferred form in many parts of China. Elsewhere, soft tofu or an in-between consistency is more popular.

By itself, tofu is bland and flavorless, virtually unpalatable. But it adds great texture to foods. It acts like a sponge for flavor compounds, so it takes on flavors from all other ingredients. It is good in soups, salads and stir-fries. It is suitable to marinate, to bake, to braise or to sauté just like meat. My recommendation to you is to try it at least once, no matter how reluctant you feel about tofu. For instance, why not marinate tiny tofu squares in an intense

Oriental sauce for a few hours, then add them to your salads. Wow!

Tofu is now available commercially in different flavors and forms that replicate meat (called value-added products)-tofu burgers, baked teriyaki and barbecued tofu, cutlets of tofu in marinade, tofu blocks marinated in Italian, Thai or Oriental flavors, or whatever the trend of the moment happens to be. Although plain tofu is inexpensive, these value-added products are not cheap. You will probably pay almost as much for them by weight as for medium to high-priced meats.

The protein content of tofu is not very high, only about 7 percent, because of the large amount of diluting water it contains. The harder the tofu is, the less water and more protein concentration in a same-weight piece. A 4-ounce (113-g) tofu, in dietitians’ language, contains 8 to 10 grams of protein.

Soy milk the other unfermented soy product, is the liquid that results from the first step of the tofu-making process. However, more cooking and processing are necessary before the liquid becomes suitable and acceptable to drink as soy milk. The processor adds salt, sweetener, oil and flavoring to give it a little taste. Without them, it tastes like plain tofu, very blah!

Soy sauce is to Orientals what ketchup is to Americans. Each country, and even districts within country, has its own ways of making it and each one may be very different from the other. Soy sauce has become very popular in our kitchens, too.

To make Japanese soy sauce, the processor cooks the soybeans and adds roasted, and coarsely crushed wheat berries. The ratio of the two differs in every region. Then the processor inoculates the mash with a specific mold (Aspergillus) and lets this mixture mature for about 3 days under controlled temperature and humidity conditions to develop enzymes. After that he adds a brine solution to destroy the mold. The result, moromi mash, is what ferments and ages in fermentation tanks at natural temperature for about 2 years.

Fermentation for our domestically produced soy sauce is only about 6 months but under controlled temperature.

During the fermentation, two processes take place. In the first one the proteins of the soybeans are broken down into their component amino acids, and in the second the

carbohydrates of the wheat kernels change to sugar. The brine is also part of the process.

It introduces saltiness and triggers a new set of chemical reactions between the amino acids and sugar. A yeast fermentation runs simultaneously with these changes that alters part of the sugar into alcohol, introducing a tart flavor component. The result is a further deepening of flavor with even more complexity and the development of a rich, clear color.

Aging follows fermentation and the two processes take 6 months to a year, after which they filter off the reddish-brown syrupy mash under pressure to squeeze out every single drop. Then they pasteurize the liquid before bottling to get rid of any remaining live culture.

Chinese soy sauce is somewhat different. They make it without wheat and is both thicker and heavier than the Japanese variety. The Chinese add molasses to give sweetness and a dark color.

Tamari is similar to the Japanese-style soy sauce but has little or no wheat, is darker, heavier and stronger-flavored than soy sauce. Salt makes up a very high 15 to 20 percent of any soy sauce, so don’t use it too generously. It generally replaces table salt in recipes.

Tempeh is a close relative to tofu. Tofu is unaged and unfermented. Tempeh is also unaged, but it is fermented for a day under warm, humid conditions with inoculated mold culture so it develops a mild flavor. Otherwise, it is a white cake-like food similar to tofu. Tempeh originated in Indonesia and because it is more tasty than tofu, it is popular with vegetarians as a meat substitute.

You can buy tempeh in health food stores flavored with seaweed, soy sauce, five-spice or just plain sea veggies. Sometimes they fortify it with extra cooked soybeans. It has the same protein content as tofu (about 7 percent) unless has the benefit of added soybeans. That boosts the protein content up to a respectable 21 percent (24 grams in a 4-ounce or 113-g serving)

Miso is a Japanese fermented product that begins with soaked soybean mush into which they mix either pre-fermented soybeans, rice or barley. The processor inoculates this conglomeration with mold, and ferments it for a few days. Then he blends, mashes and pasteurizes the mush, and it is ready for sale in sealed jars or in bulk in health food stores.

In bulk it is like thick porridge. It has a complex, distinctive taste which makes it good for flavoring and as a soup base. The cost is about the same as a medium-priced meat. The protein content is around 13 percent (15 grams in a 4-ounce or 113-g serving) depending on what other ingredients they have added.