During the pandemic something unusual happened in relation to the consumption of legumes: their presence in the weekly menu of Spaniards increased, who in 2020 ate 3.88 kilos per year per capita. But this trend was not maintained over time and, today, our intake has not only decreased, but is well below the recommendation. It’s a shame, experts lament, because they are a great source of fiber, protein, iron, zinc and vitamin D, which makes them a “superfood” available to everyone.
In addition to offering numerous nutritional advantages, they are very useful in the kitchen and can make up healthy and succulent menus. “They work with everything,” says Carlota Claver, chef at La Gormanda in Barcelona. And the Indian cook Anjalina Chugani thinks the same, who in addition to highlighting their versatility, insists that “they are very cheap”, an argument that with inflation should convince us to add more of them to the plate.
Cooking it is complex and requires a lot of time, some will respond, but it is a discourse that is far from surpassing the benefits of eating legumes. “It is not true that it is difficult to cook them, you just have to be organized and, if they need to soak, know that they should be put in water the night before,” says Claver. “If it is a food that we do not usually use, we must train ourselves, know how to handle it. When we become familiar with it, those difficulties will disappear,” says Chugani.
Another premise for not eating them is that they are boring, but it can also be easily dismantled, because among the 20,000 varieties that exist in the world, it is almost impossible for us to get tired of them. If we add to that the multiple presentations they allow – they can be used in stews, salads, spreads, soups and much more – the excuses run out.
The objective of this report is not to encourage anyone to stop eating Castilian chickpeas or Pardina lentils, which are the most consumed, but to introduce other varieties to fall in love once and for all with a food full of virtues, which is believed to be that will be part of the diet of the future.
Scientifically named Vigna radiata, this deep green legume that is widely grown in Southeast Asia is one of Claver’s favorites for its flavor and honeyed texture. They do not require soaking, so lack of time is not a reason not to cook them. According to the Gormanda cook, it is only necessary to boil them for between 30 and 45 minutes. “To give them more flavor, we can add aromatic herbs such as rosemary, and seaweed to the cooking water (which better be mineral).
Once cooked, green soybeans can be eaten cold in salads. “It will win a lot if we accompany it with a cool vinaigrette, with wasabi or ginger, soy, honey and aromatic herbs,” he says. They can also be used as an accompaniment to meats and fish, or sautéed with sausages or vegetables that we have in the refrigerator. The cook recommends looking at what foods are in season and combining them as we want.
Urad dal (scientific name vigna mungo) is a variety of legume grown in South Asia. “This black-skinned lentil with a white interior is used in India to make dosas, a type of pancakes obtained by mixing urad dal with chana dal or cracked chickpeas,” explains Chugani.
They are also used to make tadka, a garnish that is prepared by heating a little oil, frying a couple of types of lentils and adding some spices. “When they are crispy, we add the result to the dish to give it texture and flavor. “It is a way to elevate our preparations,” explains the cook.
This legume is obtained from the pods of a tree of Mediterranean origin (Ceratonia siliqua L.). Although in Spain it is mainly used for the production of animal feed, the carob has many possibilities in the kitchen. It stands out for its high sugar content and, with it, you can obtain a flour whose texture is very reminiscent of cocoa, which is used as a thickener and stabilizer in the food industry.
At home, we can use this flour to make breads, pastries, ice cream, sauces and drinks. In this recipe, cook and CETT professor Ana Casanova explains how to prepare a “chocolate” in a carob cup. The good thing is that it does not contain gluten and, therefore, is suitable for celiacs.
We know that the pea is not exactly one of the least used legumes, but some of its varieties are little known by the general population. Oriol Ivern, chef of the Barcelona restaurant Hisop, with a Michelin star, usually adds Maresme peas to many of his dishes, “because they are fresh, elegant and have many herbaceous nuances,” he defends. Furthermore, like most legumes, it can be cooked in a thousand ways.
At Hisop, they prepare a dish that combines several preparations with peas: “ofegat” (drowned, in Spanish), pickled with apple cider vinegar and in a pilpil based on the liquefied pods. In desserts, Ivern explains, they also look very good. “They are even sweeter than some fruits.”
As a final reflection, the cook remembers that there are many types of peas and that if we choose a quality one, we will enjoy it more and get more out of it. The legume, although it has been related to times of famine, “can star in high-level dishes,” he concludes.
This reddish legume is native to the Himalayas and is highly valued in Korean, Chinese and Japanese cuisine. “It has a unique and powerful flavor,” says Carlota Claver, who, as with green soy, invites us to use it to complete our salads and to sauté them with different ingredients that we have on hand, such as bacon and garlic.
This variety does require soaking (1 hour, more or less), and can also be used in stew dishes and broths. Once again, the Gormanda cook encourages us to add aromatic herbs and seasonal vegetables to these soups, so that they are tastier and more complete. If we want to use this bean to make a cream, “we better use a powerful food processor that crushes its external film well.”
Very trendy lately, masoor dal is a bright orange variety of lentils. “It’s very light,” explains Chugani,” who reveals that in India it is mainly used to make soups, stews and curries.
They are a very complete food, since they barely contain fat and sodium, and are rich in iron, proteins and minerals such as potassium, essential for the nervous system. In addition, they are digested better than other varieties most used in Spain.
Chugani invites us to combine them in the same dish with other types of lentils, because this way we will achieve more textures and flavors and we will benefit from all their properties.
