Chickpeas

A basic pressure cooker reduces the preparation time to an hour and a half. Otherwise you tend to discover that you should have started yesterday.

Without a pressure cooker, soak the chickpeas in cold water overnight, or for at least six hours. Bring them to the boil in fresh water and boil, covered, until tender. The pressure cooker method is to cover them with boiling water, stand for an hour, then cook for half an hour in fresh water.