PULSES- pluses’ for you!!

Healthy, nutritious, high in protein and vitamins, fibrous, contains amino acids, good for calorie conscious people, diabetic, vegetarians and also keeps at bay a lot of other diseases, these are the qualities of Pulses or Legumes. Pulses include leguminous crops whose seeds are protected in a pod. These are also used as animal feed.  They are part of plant family called leguminosae. Pulses include the whole range of beans, peas and lentils such as:

• Baked Beans
• Red, Green, Yellow and brown Lentils
• Black Eyed Peas
• Garden Peas
• Runner Beans
• Chickpeas
• Broad beans
• Kidney Beans
• Butter Beans

There can be a lot of ways in which you can cook pulses. Cooking time varies as it depends on the type of the pulses and how old they are? Sprouting pulses is also beneficial; it is rich in digestible energy, vitamins, proteins, minerals, amino acids. These are essential to complete a healthy diet. Sprouting is done by soaking pulses in water overnight.

There are some very easy and tasty recipes which can be tried by any one. We mention some below, so head on to your kitchen:

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking: 1 hour

Legume used: Soak chickpeas and lupines overnight, and haricot beans for 3 hours. You can also use tinned chickpeas (1 cup / 200g) and haricot beans (1 cup / 180 g).

Ingredients

• ½ cup (100g) dried chickpeas
• ½ cup (100g) dried sweet lupines
• ½ cup (90g) dried haricot beans
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ cup of breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped rosemary
• 1 large potato, peel and dice
• 1 cup fresh green beans
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups shredded cabbage (½ head)
• 6 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 Frankfurters, thickly sliced

Preparation:

• Soak chickpeas and lupines overnight.
• Drain and rinse, place all pulses, and add plenty of fresh water. Bring to the boil for 15 minutes, and then simmer gently until pulses are tender (about 1 hour).
• In a large saucepan, sauté garlic and breadcrumbs in oil for 5 minutes.
• Add parsley and remaining ingredients excluding frankfurters.
• Boil it; reduce heat and simmer until potato is cooked (about 20 minutes). The breadcrumbs will thicken the soup.
• About 10 minutes before serving, add frankfurters.

Serves: 4-6

Preparation:  15 minutes

Cooking: 1 hour

Legume used:  Soak chickpeas overnight in three times their volume of water then rinse, or substitute 2 cups (300g) canned chickpeas to cut out the cooking component.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (200g) dried chickpeas
• 120g sundried tomatoes, slivered
• ½ cup sultanas
• ½ cup pecan nuts roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp fresh dill, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Recipe Tip: Marinated vegetables such as eggplant can also be added.

• Soak chickpeas overnight.
• Drain the chickpeas, put in a pot and cover with plenty of fresh water. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chickpeas are just tender (about 1 hour)
• Drain, rinse and cool
• Mix all ingredients carefully
• Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves with grilled chicken and a chilled beverage

There are a lot of benefits of eating pulses as a routine, reduction of blood cholesterol; weight loss and risk of coronary heart diseases are some of the examples. It is considered easy and beneficial if a person consumes pulses or sprouted pulses four or more times a week but it should be well cooked and in a proper way.

There are some handy methods to include pulses in your daily diet, these are listed below:

• Baked beans on toast are an easy breakfast or last minute dinner. Sauté an onion, add the baked beans, sprinkle with grated cheese and enjoy!
• Use hummus as a spread on sandwiches instead of margarine or butter.
• Add pulses to soups, salads, casseroles, stews or curries.
• Add snow peas to a stir fry.
• Frozen peas or beans can be prepared and added to a meal in minutes.
• Make a chickpea or bean salad for your next barbecue.

Pulses are great for kids as well as adults; it can be eaten in many ways like sprouted, boiled, with veggies and non-vegetarian also. There are a lot of ways to cook different types of pulses; one can also try creating their own recipes including pulses. So start munching on these lovely dishes and keep health problems away.