# Bean soup question - need answer fast! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 9, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942 "2012-01-09T17:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942/21 "2012-01-10T00:14:27Z")
Inspired by this thread, I now have a pot of beans and smoked ham hock nearly done. The wife is whipping up some cornbread to go with. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942/22 "2012-01-10T00:44:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Why dump out the water? To get rid of the flautogenic compounds which are now dissolved in that water. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942/23 "2012-01-10T00:52:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > To get rid of the flautogenic compounds which are now dissolved in that water. What fun would **that** be?! ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942/24 "2012-01-10T02:51:46Z")
The beans are soft. Sounds like a secret code, no? Anyway, the soup came out just fine. I did have to add some water, and may need to add more tomorrow. If anyone is curious, my concoction contains: vegetable stock, carrots, celery, onions, fresh parsley, salt, coarse pepper, cumin, rosemary, bay leaf, black beans, and various other beans/peas/lentils from a prepackaged package. I think next time I will add some garlic and, toward the end of the cooking time, some diced tomatoes. mmm ETA: Not having rinsed the beans, I will report (heh) back later with fart documentation. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942/25 "2012-01-10T03:10:47Z")
I heard about KOMBU ages ago. If you are an aficiando of the original Japanese _Iron Chef_ program, KOMBU (or KONBU) is a dried seaweed that resembles banana leaves. A 2- to 3-inch piece placed in the soaking water, then retained when the soaking water is drained, fresh water (or broth) is added, and cooked with the beans, makes the end product more “digestible.” There is still a “toot factor,” and I can’t really tell you if we’re getting fewer bangs from the pot, but cooking with Kombu is a habit now. Mexican cooking lore says the herb epazote is supposed to be cooked with beans (especially black beans) not just for the flavoring, but to remedy the aftereffects. The REAL solution is to…ta-daaa…eat MORE beans! Your guts will cultivate the proper flora for managing the complex sugars. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942/26 "2012-01-10T07:10:13Z")
> [@VOW](#): > > I heard about KOMBU ages ago. If you are an aficiando of the original Japanese _Iron Chef_ program, KOMBU (or KONBU) is a dried seaweed that resembles banana leaves. A 2- to 3-inch piece placed in the soaking water, then retained when the soaking water is drained, fresh water (or broth) is added, and cooked with the beans, makes the end product more “digestible.” > > There is still a “toot factor,” and I can’t really tell you if we’re getting fewer bangs from the pot, but cooking with Kombu is a habit now. > > Mexican cooking lore says the herb epazote is supposed to be cooked with beans (especially black beans) not just for the flavoring, but to remedy the aftereffects. Savory, aka “the bean herb,” is also said to both have a natural affinity for beans, and aid digestion of them, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bean-soup-question-need-answer-fast/608942.md?page=1)