Soaking

Beans double in volume during soaking. Wash and drain the beans, put them in a stockpot or bagno maria, and cover them with cold water. Let soak overnight in the refrigerator. Smaller beans take less time to soak, as little as 4 hours. Very small beans, such as zolfina or sorana, need even less time. The soaking water should be discarded and fresh cold water should be added for cooking.