Butter Bean Curry (Lima Beans), A Quick 30-minute recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do lima beans need to be soaked before cooking? ›

Lima beans are almost always cooked. If you buy dried beans, you will need to soak them first. Before soaking beans, spread them on a flat surface and remove all debris, small stones, or damaged beans. Then, rinse the beans in a strainer under cool running water.

You'll see them labeled in different ways in the store, after all: frozen lima beans, canned butter beans, dried large limas—or is it dried large butter beans? Turns out, lima beans and butter beans are the same thing. Both terms refer to the same species, Phaseolus lunatus.

If you don't have a slow cooker, soak your dried beans in plenty of cold water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Rinse the soaked beans, tip them into a large, heavy pan, and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 10cm.

How to cook dried beans without soaking. Rinse dry beans and place in an oven-safe pot. Fill water to cover beans by two or three inches and add salt. Cover with a heavy lid and bake for 2 hours at 375°.

Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are tender. Stir the beans occasionally and add more water if needed to keep them covered. Once the beans are tender, remove them from the heat and let them cool slightly.

But, then I learned something astonishing: You can actually skip soaking beans over night, and actually you should. Not only does it shorten the amount of time until you have ready-to-eat beans, it also produces a more flavorful end result.

There is no difference between lima beans and butter beans, though you can find them for sale at different stages of maturity. The younger green-hued beans, usually identified as baby lima beans, have a starchy texture similar to raw fava beans (which some describe as mealy). You can consume them fresh or cooked.

If you prefer to soak your lima beans, place them in a large bowl of water for at least 4 to 8 hours. When ready to cook, drain off the water and follow the cooking directions below, shortening the simmering time as needed.

Lima beans can be bitter because they weren't soaked before cooking. Soaking removes phytate, and boiling for a long time destroys lectins. Here are some ways to remove bitterness from lima beans: Quick soak: Cover the beans with water, bring to a boil, and then turn off the heat.

Overcooked beans will have an undesirable texture, but they may not be harmful if eaten. Furthermore, most people will spit them out rather than swallow them and ingest overcooked food. So, [overcooking] certainly can take away from the flavor and make beans taste bad. But, if you overcook your beans, don't worry!

How do you soak lima beans quickly? ›

Quick Soak: This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for at least 1 hour.

Bring to a boil; stir, reduce heat and cover and simmer for about 2 hours. Keep checking the water level and stirring every once in a while. Add more water if needed, but not too much. Just enough to keep about 1 inch of water above the beans as they cook.

Quick-soak method: Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil and continue to boil for two minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for two hours. Drain, transfer to a pot, cover with fresh water and continue cooking.

The so-called quick soak is a method where you place beans in water, bring them to a boil, turn off the heat, and then let the beans soak in the water for an hour.

It is possible to soak beans for too long before cooking. Beans should soak for 8 to 10 hours overnight. If they are soaked for longer than 12 hours, they can lose their familiar flavor and become overly mushy.

I know the bag says to soak the beans overnight, but you really don't have to. Wash the beans, and then put them in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, then turn off the heat, cover and let it sit for 1 hour.

Quick Soak: This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and soak for at least 1 hour.

Overnight Soaking

To soak beans the traditional way, cover them with water by 2 inches, add 2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt (or 1 tablespoon fine salt) per pound of beans, and let them soak for at least 4 hours or up to 12 hours. Drain them and rinse before using.