The mere mention of *Rajma-Chawal* (kidney beans and rice) makes everyone's mouth water, whether they are children or adults. However, we often forget to soak the kidney beans overnight, and realizing this in the morning can make the whole plan seem ruined. Indeed, trying to boil unsoaked kidney beans can feel like an uphill battle.

If this has happened to you today, there is absolutely no need to strike your favorite dish from the menu. Here are three easy cooking tricks that will help you get perfectly soft, buttery-smooth kidney beans without the need for overnight soaking.

The Magic of Baking Soda
This is one of the oldest and most effective tricks. Baking soda helps break down the tough outer skin of the kidney beans and softens them right through to the core.

How to do it: Wash the kidney beans thoroughly and place them in a pressure cooker. Add the required amount of water, a little salt, and just a pinch of baking soda.

Then, close the lid and cook for 4 to 5 whistles. You will find that the kidney beans cook up just as perfectly as they would after soaking overnight. Just be careful not to add too much soda, or the taste might be altered.

Hot Water 'Quick Soaking'
If you have about an hour or an hour and a half before you need to start cooking, this method will be very useful. This trick accomplishes the task of overnight soaking in just one hour.

How to do it: Heat water in a vessel until it is boiling vigorously. Add the kidney beans to this boiling water, transfer the mixture to an insulated container (like a hot case or casserole), and close the lid tightly.
The insulated container traps the heat inside, causing the kidney beans to swell rapidly. When you open it after about an hour, you will find the beans fully plumped up and ready to be boiled in the pressure cooker.

Using Ice Cubes
This is often a secret, foolproof trick used by chefs. In fact, a sudden shift between hot and cold temperatures helps the kidney beans (rajma) soften very quickly.

Here is how to do it: First, place the kidney beans and water in a pressure cooker and put it on the stove. Once the cooker whistles twice, turn off the heat, release the pressure, and open the lid.

Now, add 5–6 ice cubes to the boiling beans. This causes a sudden drop in temperature, which makes the tough outer skin of the beans split open. After this, close the lid again and let the cooker whistle another 3 to 4 times. When you open the cooker, the kidney beans will be perfectly tender.

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