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5 min
02/01/2026
Soaking overnight is best for hard legumes, all whole dals, and some thick, dense or slow-cooking grains. The need for soaking also depends on the softness of the lentils, the type of polished grains you are using (if they are broken, for example), and any broken pulses you wish to use.
Soaking overnight has become one of those things we continue to do in our homes because of tradition and little thought. However, not everything in your kitchen pantry needs this type of soaking. There are many benefits to soaking, such as improved digestion, faster cooking time, and improved texture, as well as the disadvantages of possibly losing nutrients and having bland results if you soak too long. This article will explain the science and tradition of soaking, which will help you know what types of soaking your various pantry items should have and what types do not.
Soaking serves three main purposes: it softens tough outer coatings; reduces naturally-occurring anti-nutritional factors (e.g., phytic acid); and shortens your cooking time. Additionally, soaking is helpful when preparing Indian food because grinding your ingredients into batters and pastes will be very smooth and creamy. However, soaking is not something you should do to all types of grains or legumes since it is specifically to provide a softer texture or better digestion.
When compared to whole soya and brown beans, all legumes benefit from soaking for an extended period of time. For example, urad, moong, kitchari and masoor dal are all cooked down to a comfortable level when soaked for 8 – 10 hours. This process will cause the legumes to develop their skins in accordance with the needs of the legume.
All legumes that contain heavier outer shells, such as chickpeas, sd beans, black-eyed peas, yellow peas, soybeans and even the dandelion plant, must be soaked overnight to soften them as well as allow for a complete and uniform cooking experience. Legumes must also be able to absorb salt and spices during this time.
Grains that are generally considered whole, such as brown rice or red rice, are softened and shorten their cooking times as a result of the soaking process. On the other hand, white rice, semolina and poha do not benefit from being soaked for such an extended period and may turn out mushy if soaked too long. Broken grains are generally quickly hydrated and do not require any soaking time.
Some legumes, including split lentils, split beans, brinjal and kidney beans, cook very well even without soaking before cooking. Further, grains such as oats, quinoa and white flour should be used fresh so that they remain in good condition and do not lose their nuttiness.
Several foods are soaked not so that they can be more easily digested, but so that we will get a better texture from them. Soaking rice used for making idli or dosa batters, soaking dried red chilli peppers used for grinding, or soaking almonds in order to remove their skins, creates a smooth, not soft, end product. Soaking ingredients in these examples has to do with the end product we want to achieve rather than based solely upon the ingredients themselves.
Therefore, soaking overnight is a method of taking advantage of the performance characteristics of certain foods, especially those that have a lot of protein (the whole legumes, coarse grains, and unpolished cereals) and therefore are difficult to digest; in fact, most types of legumes are better when soaked overnight. Conversely, ingredients that are either soft (split) or refined do not need soaking, and when cooked fresh, perform better than when soaked overnight.
