You can buy lentils/chick peas/beans in bulk and save lots of money.
Make sure you store your ingredients in air-tight containers out of direct light.
Buying lentils/chick peas/beans in bulk saves a lot of money but it does take increased preparation time. So it’s always good to have a few tins in the cupboard as a back up in case you run out of time. The other option is the pre-cook the lentils/chick peas/beans and freeze them.
To cook dried lentils/chick peas/beans:
1) Soak – this is to help reduce cooking time and to help you to digest them better
- Put lentils in a large pot or container and soak them in enough water to cover them plus about 10cm over their level
- leave for eight hours or overnight
2) Rinse – pour off the water and rinse the lentils/chick peas/beans
3) Cover again with water and then bring to the boil
4) Once boiling, turn down to a gentle simmer
5) Simmer until the lentils/chick peas/beans are tender. Cooking time varies depending on soaking time and the type of lentil/chick pea/bean you are using. For example red lentils will cook very quickly (20-30 minute); chick peas will take around 1-2 hours; red beans will take longer (3-4 hours).
6) Once tender, drain in a colander over the sink or you can also use the water as a soup base
7) Use the lentils/chick peas/beans for your recipe or put them in 2 cups portions in the freezer in an air-tight container