How to Cook Dried Garbanzo Beans in Salt Water

Saltiness separates almost all canned foods from their fresh counterparts. Although convenient, canned foods take away the ability to control the seasoning in a dish, because you have to consider their saltiness, which usually amounts to the entirety of what you would normally use in an entire recipe. Fresh garbanzos boiled in salt water, for instance, have a cleaner taste than canned, so they're more compatible with dishes in which you add seasoned ingredients according to their cooking times, such as soups and stews. In dishes that rely on texture to work, such as hummus, freshly seasoned garbanzos are your best choice.

Things You'll Need

Colander
Pot

Plate
Salt

Instructions

Rinse the garbanzos in a colander and soak them using the quick-soak method or the overnight method. Both techniques do the job, so it's your choice. If you want to soak the garbanzos quickly, place them in a pot and cover them with about 2 or 3 inches of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for five minutes. Turn the heat off and remove the pot from the stove if you have electric burners. Soak the beans in the hot water for one hour and rinse them again.

If you want to soak the garbanzos overnight, place them in a pot, cover them with 3 or 4 inches of cold water and cover them with a plate. Soak the garbanzos for at least 12 hours and rinse them again.
Add the garbanzos to a pot and cover them with 3 or 4 inches of water, or a ratio of 1 quart of water to 1 cup of beans.
Season the water with salt and stir it to dissolve. Taste the water and adjust the saltiness as needed with more salt or more water to dilute it. The garbanzos will taste almost as salty as the water does when they finish cooking. If you are cooking the garbanzos until very al dente, or firm, add a bit more salt than usual because they won't absorb as much as when cooked until tender. If cooking the garbanzos until tender, season the water just as you want the garbanzos to taste when finished.
Bring the garbanzos to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Keep an eye on the water level while the garbanzos simmer and add more as needed to keep them covered by about 2 inches at all times. If you have to add more water, taste it again and add more salt if needed.
Simmer the garbanzos until firm but chewable, or for about one hour, if you're using them in a stew or soup. Simmer the garbanzos until very tender, or for about one hour and 30 minutes, if you want to use them in a puree such as hummus.
Drain the garbanzos in a colander and rinse them with cool running water until completely cool as soon as they reach the desired doneness.

Previous:How to Cook Ground Beef for Sloppy Joes in a Skillet

Next: How to Cook a Breakfast of Potatoes & Eggs for One