Dried Beans

New Zealand Listener, Volume 16, Issue 407, 11 April 1947, Page 22

Dried Beans

A few days ago I received a little cardboard box beautifully packed with home-dried beans, very green and freshlooking, but DRY. Here is the letter which accompanied it: Dear Aunt Daisy, These are for you to try, They are. ordinary "string" beans which most home gardeners grow, and are simply sliced in the usual way, and dried in the syn. Spread a piece of kitchen paper on a tray and spread a layer of sliced beans on this, It may be necessary to anchor the paper, especially in windy Wellington. Take the trays in at-night. Two or three days should be ample. The beans should be hard and crisp when finished. Store for the lean days when it is often impossible to get much variety. We put ours in clear glass preserving jars, so that we may watch their condition. Last ysar was our first attempt, and they kept beautifully till December-in fact are still good as ever. Soak for 24 hours with a tiny pinch of baking soda and cook for about an hour in the same water with the usual salt and perhaps a little sugar. People here have been glad of this method, which requires no hot scalding bottles, etc, and uses nothing but patience, and takes up less room. I hope you will like these and find the idea useful for passing on. Yours, Mary Jane. P.S, Green peas are good dried in this way too. They take a little longer. The flavour keeps very well.