From: red_trek@drycas.club.cc.cmu.edu
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: Vegan cooking ideas (beans, beans and more beans)
Date: 31 Aug 92 16:35:10 -0500
Organization: Carnegie Mellon Computer Club

I would post detailed recipices if my family even knew how to follow
the few recipices we do use :-).  But, nope, we don't measure a thing
in our kitchen.  Instead, I'll just list a few general tips/ideas
for those who're interested:

1)  Chili-

Pinto beans are traditional, but also effective are:  pink beans, kidney
beans, black, navy, even black eye peas.  These beans can be combined
with each other, or with garbanzo beans.  I especially like to combine
lentil beans with any of the above (but then , I like lentil beans 
best).  You can use canned beans if you're in a hurry, but it's best
to drain them in a collander and rinse them well to get rid of the 
salt (read: sodium) and the scum.   Combine with a can of tomatoes:  
you can use whole tomatoes, or tomato purree.  Add veggies:  corn
and/or broccoli work well, but experiment with others, too.
Add chili powder (of course :-) ).    Variations:  add orengo, or
lime juice, or lemon juice, or cumin or some other combination.
I tried adding a bay leaf once, but I have no idea if it worked cuz
I also burned the whole thing :-(.

Oh, red beans also work.

If using dried legumes, rinse then soak either the night before or 
in the morning before going to work.  Most beans seem to need longer
to cook than it says on teh package, so start simmering the water
early (except for red lentils, which do cook quickly).  Be sure
to add *plenty* of water, and double check the pot every 20-30
mintues to be sure it's happy -- that way you won't ruin a whole
pound of beans like I did :-).


2)  Baked beans --

Pretty much any kind of bean that works in chili will work in baked
beans.  You can add veggies if you like, or serve them on the side.
Add tomato puree to the beans, then add either molasses (black strap,
of course, would be good for iron and calcium) or vinegar and brown
sugar.  My father likes to add a can of pine apple cubes to this
for a "sweet and sour" taste -- it's delicious.  Try combining two parts
pink beans and one part kidney beans with the pine apple cubes.


3)  Soups  --
Any and all beans work perfectly in soups, whether individually or
in combination.  Cook the beans.  Add whatever veggies you like.
Some kind of beans go fine with elbow macroni, or you can add potatoes,
or you can just serve some kind of bread (bagel, french bread, whatever)
on the side.  Variations:  add cajun seasonings (with or w/o tomatoes).
Some beans work well with savory spices (asuki beans, lentils) while
others (IMHO, but I'm hardly an expert) seem to go best with spicy
stuff (anything listed as being effective in chili dishes above applies
here).

4)  Curries --

Many beans, of course, are good for curries.  You can use commerically
prepared curry powder, or you can make your own "curry blends" --
consult an Indian cookbook, and the list of spices on the side of
your curry powder container for ideas.  I often combine:  ginger (be careful
with this one--the taste is pretty strong, and can become overwhelming 
if you over do it), corriander, tumeric, cumin, black pepper, red pepper
(add *early* to give it time to "mellow out"), garlic, bay leaf, clove,
cinamon, nutmeg.  I would use celery seed and fenugreek if it was on hand,
but we don't have any :-(.   Mix beans, spices, and veggies, cook in boiling
water to thickness desired, and serve on brown rice.


Oh, that's right, I forgot to mention that garlic goes well in chili.
Add it early for a mild flavor, add it near the end if you like it strong.
Ditto goes for cajun seasonings.

Hope the above helps some people out.  Share this file with others if 
you like.  Happy eating :-)

			--Andrea Shettle
			(aka The Red Trek)