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How to cook red and green lentils
Rinse the lentils under running water and pick through them to remove any bits of soil or rocks. You will use 2 cups of water for each cup of lentil. If you don't have a large bowl, use a large pot or any other large container that you have.
Add lentils and water to a saucepan (with a lid) and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and cover to let the lentils simmer, but leave the lid ajar a bit so that they don’t boil over. Check on them occasionally to make sure the water has not boiled down below the level of the lentils and add more as needed. When the lentils are tender and can easily be mashed with a fork, they are done.
It usually takes about 8-12 minutes to cook red lentils and about 15-18 minutes to cook green lentil.
When they are finished cooking, take the saucepan off the heat and cover tightly with the lid. Optional: leave the lid to sit for 5-10 minutes. The lentils will absorb more of the water making them juicier and tenderer.
How to cook beans
Place the beans in a bowl and fill with water. Move the beans around a little with your hand or a spoon to allow any dirt to come loose in the water. Drain the water. Repeat until the water appears clear. Don't worry too much if you can never get the water to be perfectly clear. If any beans float to the top, pick them out and throw them away. These are bad beans. Pick out and throw out any other beans that look bad.
Soak beans at room temperature. You will use 3 cups of water for each cup of bean. If you don't have a large bowl, use a large pot or any other large container that you have.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda if you have particularly hard water, but usually, it is not recommended.
Drain the beans and Replace the Water. Drain the water from beans and move them to a large pot. Add 3 cups water for each cup of dried beans that you used.
Boil the beans. They should take between 2 and 3 hours to cook (excluding the time it takes to bring the beans to a simmer). First, bring the water to a boil under medium-high heat. Scoop out any froth that forms with a spoon.
Once the water starts to boil, set the heat to low and cover the pot. Set a timer to 3 hours. It usually takes a full 3 hours to ensure that they are fully cooked; however, cooking times vary depending on the amount of beans, the pot, and time spent soaking the beans. For your first-time cooking beans, you may want to check after 2 hours and keep checking the beans until they are done. Whenever you take the lid off the pot and replace it, check to make sure the water is still at a simmer. If it isn't, temporarily bring the heat up to medium heat until the water is simmering again, and then set the heat back to low.
Should I stir the beans? Yes. You may want to stir the beans a few times throughout the cooking process to ensure that the beans get cooked evenly
How do I know when the beans are done? Take one bean and bite into it or squeeze it between your fingers. You should be able to squeeze it with your fingers, at least. It should have a very soft consistency. Note that you can decide how cooked you want the beans to be. If you find that they are cooked but you prefer beans to be a little softer, go ahead and let them simmer for a little while longer.
Drain the beans for use in recipes.
How to cook chickpeas in a pressure cooker or instant pot
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​Place the chickpeas in a bowl and fill with water. Move the chickpeas around a little with your hand or a spoon to allow any dirt to come loose in the water. Drain the water. Repeat until the water appears clear. Don't worry too much if you can never get the water to be perfectly clear. If any chickpeas float to the top, pick them out and throw them away. These are bad chickpeas, pick out and throw out any other chickpea that look bad.
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Soak chickpeas overnight (optional).
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Drain the water from chickpeas/beans and move them to pot. Add 3 cups water for each cup of dried beans that you used.
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Boil the chickpeas in covered pot. They should take between 15 to 20 minutes to cook (excluding the time it takes to bring the chickpeas to boil).
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Allow pot to cool. The pressure pin will drop once pot is cool and safe to open.
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Drain excess water from chickpea.
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Chickpea is ready to use in recipes.
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How do I know if chickpeas are well done?
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Take a chickpea and bite into it or squeeze it between your fingers. You should be able to squeeze it with your fingers, at least. It should have a very soft consistency. Note that you can decide how soft you want the beans to be. If you find that they are cooked but you prefer chickpea/beans to be a little softer, go ahead and let them simmer for a little while longer.