Don’t just throw in sugar, this is a way to cook green beans quickly and tenderly and saves gas

photo: Instagram/@kharinday

Brilio.net – Many people complain when cooking green beans because the texture remains hard even after boiling them for a long time. Apparently, one of the main causes is the habit of adding sugar too early into the cooking water. This is often not realized because it is considered a practical step to speed up the absorption of the sweet taste.

Scientific Explanation: Why Does Sugar Inhibit the Cooking Process?

Scientifically, there are two main reasons why sugar prevents green beans from softening quickly. The following is the explanation quoted by BrilioFood from the Kharinday Instagram account, Tuesday (13/1).

1. Increased Osmotic Pressure of Water

When sugar is added early on, the water around the beans becomes “more concentrated.” This condition increases the osmotic pressure of the water, making it more difficult for water molecules to penetrate into the green bean seeds. As a result, the process of hydration and seed expansion is significantly hampered.

2. The cell wall structure is difficult to soften

Green beans require direct exposure to hot water to soften the cell walls and starch inside. The presence of sugar at the beginning of the process slows down the softening of this structure, so the time required to achieve a tender texture is much longer.

Impact of Wrong Sequence of Adding Sugar

This trivial error leads to several technical problems when cooking, including:

– Green bean seeds remain hard even if they have been boiled for hours.
– The cooking water continues to shrink due to evaporation, but the green beans have not yet broken down completely.
– The cooking time becomes very long which results in wasteful use of gas.

Practical Tips for Cooking Green Beans to Make them Soft Quickly

For maximum cooking results, efficiency and gas savings, follow the steps below for the Kharinday Instagram account

1. Boil with Water Only

Tips for cooking green beans
photo: Instagram/@kharinday

Tips for cooking green beans
photo: Instagram/@kharinday

Place the green beans in boiling water and boil in just water until the seeds burst and feel tender.

2. Add Sugar at the End

Tips for cooking green beans
photo: Instagram/@kharinday

Once you feel the texture of the nuts is right and they are completely broken up, then add the sugar or other sweetener.

3. Cook briefly

Tips for cooking green beans
photo: Instagram/@kharinday

Let it boil for a few more moments so that the sweet taste of the sugar combines with the beans, then turn off the heat.

4. Do Soaking

Soak green beans for 2-4 hours before cooking. Apart from speeding up the tenderization process, soaking is also effective in reducing phytate levels (compounds that can inhibit the absorption of minerals such as iron and zinc).

5. Use a covered pan

Make sure to cook over medium heat and always cover the pan so that the internal temperature remains stable.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Does the type of sugar (brown sugar vs granulated sugar) affect the hardness of the nuts?

All types of sugar have the same osmotic properties, but brown sugar which contains more minerals sometimes makes the water slightly more concentrated than pure granulated sugar.

2. What is the ideal ratio of water to green beans so that they don’t spoil quickly?

The general standard is 1:4 (1 part beans to 4 parts water), but if they are not soaked first, the amount of water may need to be increased.

3. Is adding baking soda safe to speed up tender beans?

Even though it can speed up softening, baking soda can damage the vitamin B content in green beans, so soaking is recommended.

4. Why does boiled green beans sometimes turn reddish?

This is caused by the oxidation of polyphenol compounds in the skin of green beans which are exposed to air for too long during the slow boiling process.

5. How do you store boiled green beans so they don’t go bad quickly?

Make sure the green beans are completely cool before placing them in an airtight container and storing them in the refrigerator; Nuts without coconut milk usually last longer.

(brl/tin)