1636 The Cornell Reading Courses 



absorbing their original content of moisture. The custom of draining off 

 and discarding the water in which the legumes are soaked or cooked is 

 to be discouraged because the ash content of the food is thus decreased. 

 Occasionally there is a bitter taste extracted by the water, which neces- 

 sitates its being discarded; especially is this true in the case of lentils. 

 Usually, however, the finished product is equally as palatable when the 

 water used in tlic soaking is also used in the cooking, as when it is drained 

 off and fresh water is added. Some persons parboil the dried legumes 

 for a few minutes in so strong a soda solution that the water cannot be 

 used. This large amount of soda, however, is unnecessary ; a small amount, 

 one-fourth of a teaspoonful of soda to one quart of water, serves to loosen 

 the skins, to render the protein more digestible, and to soften water of 

 average hardness, as will be explained. In the case of the green legumes, 

 one-fourth of a teaspoonful of soda to one quart of green vegetables is 

 the proportion recommended to preserve the fresh green color. As has 

 been shown by scientific investigation, the soda neutralizes the vegetable 

 acids and prevents their destroying the coloring matter as they would 

 otherwise do when heated. 



Soft water, either distilled or rain water, is the best in which to soak 

 and cook the legumes. Hard water interferes with their becoming soft, 

 and also with their digestibility. Hardness of water caused by the car- 

 bonate of lime or magnesium, may be remedied for use in the cooking of 

 legumes by boiling the water, pouring it from the sediment, and adding 

 a small amount of soda; when the hardness is caused by the sulfate 

 of lime or magnesium, boiling has no effect, but soda may improve it 

 for this purpose. 



There is no good reason for discarding the liquor on canned peas that 

 have been put up in glass; it contains nutritive material and should be 

 used. If the peas have been canned in tin, however, the liquor is likely 

 to contain certain tin compounds, which it seems advisable not to intro- 

 duce into the system. 



Fats are often combined with the legumes in such dishes as baked 

 beans and pork, and split peas and bacon. This gives a dish in which 

 protein, fat, and carbohydrate are well represented. Since, as has been 

 mentioned, fat tends to retard the digestion of protein in the stomach, 

 a meal in which the two are combined will tend to postpone the feeling 

 of hunger and consequently is especially good when one wishes food that 

 will " stand by " him, as when there is strenuous outdoor work to be done. 

 Also, fat, as well as vegetables of pronounced flavor, such as onions and 

 tomatoes, improves the flavor of the dried legumes, which by themselves 

 are somewhat flat. 



