I cooked some lentils a few months back that were still as hard as bullets even after an hours cooking, and a couple of days ago the missus soaked some split peas overnight (which should be unnecessary) and they were still firm after an hour and a half's cooking. Is it the water, or are the lentils and split peas just very old stock? Bought both from Makro BTW.

Strange. I've never had that problem, certainly not with stuff bought at Makro. These days I use a pressure cooker, and everything comes out fine. Maybe you need one as well.

Strange. I've never had that problem, certainly not with stuff bought at Makro. These days I use a pressure cooker, and everything comes out fine. Maybe you need one as well.

I've been cooking lentils for years (in Australia) using a saucepan only, usually around 30 minutes has them as soft as butter. Don't need a pressure cooker for that.

FWIW, here in Thailand I have never been able to get locally purchased pinto beans (ham hocks and beans) or kidney beans (chili con carne) cooked until soft. (I soak for 24 hours, etc., etc.)

If you add a bit of baking soda to the water, that should get them soft. About 1/4 tsp per kilo of legulmes. The problem you are having now might be due to the fact that your water is too hard .i.e. rich in minerals. You could try boiling them in distilled water which is cheap and available at supermarkets.

If you add a bit of baking soda to the water, that should get them soft. About 1/4 tsp per kilo of legulmes. The problem you are having now might be due to the fact that your water is too hard .i.e. rich in minerals. You could try boiling them in distilled water which is cheap and available at supermarkets.

To add, the Internet says:

The presence of acid and calcium ions retard the cooking of beans and vegetables.

Higher acid value can come from the water supply, or something coating the beans/peas (that didn't get rinsed before cooking).

By adding a bit of Baking Soda to the cooking water it will raise the overall pH level (reducing the volume of free hydrogen atoms).

pH indicates the sample's acidity~alkalinity, but is actually a measurement of the potential activity of hydrogen ions (H+) in the sample. pH measurements run on a scale from 0 to 14, with 7.0 considered neutral. Solutions with a pH below 7.0 are considered acids. The normal range for pH in surface water systems is 6.5 to 8.5 and for groundwater systems 6 to 8.5.

Baking Soda has a pH hovering around 8.5

Unfiltered water may contain other chemicals that can react to lower the pH value of the cooking water when coming into contact with metal utensils or bare metal cooking surfaces.

If you add a bit of baking soda to the water, that should get them soft. About 1/4 tsp per kilo of legulmes. The problem you are having now might be due to the fact that your water is too hard .i.e. rich in minerals. You could try boiling them in distilled water which is cheap and available at supermarkets.

Only cook with delivered, bottled water, but can't say what that might contain.

If you add a bit of baking soda to the water, that should get them soft. About 1/4 tsp per kilo of legulmes. The problem you are having now might be due to the fact that your water is too hard .i.e. rich in minerals. You could try boiling them in distilled water which is cheap and available at supermarkets.

Only cook with delivered, bottled water, but can't say what that might contain.

Not the same as distilled water.

I buy bulk Makro black beans. Soak them for 25 hours. Rinse and boil with 2' of water over the top of the beans. They turn out great. Bought some expensive top quality black beans and even after 4 hours were hard as rocks. ......