Crossbow’s Legume Range

Welcome to the World of Crossbow’s legume range. Fresh excitement is simmering in the cooking pot with the discovery of Crossbow legumes: Small White -, Red Speckled -, Red- and White Kidney beans, Yellow and Green Split peas, Red and Black Lentils as well as our Chick peas, Samp and Beans, Popcorn and Soup Mix.

Crossbow is now staging a full scale upheaval with the health benefits that legumes provide. Studies has shown that legumes are one of nature’s finest foods being a source of plant protein, high in fibre, low in fat, no cholesterol and gives sustained energy for having a low GI. Combine this with a balanced meal plan and exercise and you have the beginning of a health wave you wouldn’t want to stop.

Hints and Tips

SOAKING
Overnight soaking process:

• Cover with water and soak overnight. Drain the soaked Crossbow beans and use as per the recipe instructions.

Quick soaking process:

• Put beans into a large saucepan, add cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and allow to soak for 1 hour. Drain the soaked beans and use as per the recipe instructions.

COOKING
Small White- , Red Speckled-, Red- and White Kidney Beans

• Crossbow beans are clean and thoroughly sorted so pour them straight from the packet and rinse once.
• During cooking the protein becomes more readily available, the starch content is at least partially gelatinised, the taste improves and the product becomes more digestible.
• Slow cooking is thus the secret of cooking beans to retain their good flavor and have an easily digestible texture. So bring beans to the boil, reduce the heat and cook slowly until the beans are tender but not mushy
• Always add more water if the level goes below that of the beans.
• Cooking times varies, but new season beans will take an average of 40 minutes to one hour.
• Add salt and other seasoning especially acids like tomato or vinegar after the beans have cooked soft. If added too soon it will make the beans stay hard
• Do not add bicarbonate of soda to the boiling water. It destroys the vitamins in dry beans

Yellow and Green Split Peas

• Crossbow peas are clean and thoroughly sorted so pour them straight from the packet, rinse once and cook them to perfection every time
• Slow cooking is the secret of cooking peas to retain their good flavor and have an easily digestible texture. So bring peas to the boil, reduce the heat and cook slowly until the peas are tender but not mushy
• Always add more water if the level goes below that of the peas.
• Cooking times varies, but peas will take an average of 20-40 minutes to cook soft.

STORING

• Store raw Crossbow legumes in an airtight container in a cool dry place away from sunlight.

Storing cooked beans, peas and lentils

Refrigeration

• Cool the cooked Crossbow legumes
• Store the legumes in the water in which they were cooked
• If the water is insufficient to cover the Crossbow legumes, add boiling water to prevent the legumes from drying out
• Store the legumes in a sealed container
• You can store the legumes in the refrigerator for a week

Freezing

• Cool the cooked legumes
• Fill the containers two-thirds with water to cover the legumes
• Keep for two to six months