cooking.
Seed Colors The colors of beans and peas are
determined mainly by anthocyanin pigments
in the seed coat. Solid reds and blacks
generally survive cooking, while mottled
patterns become washed out when the water-
soluble pigments leak into adjacent
nonpigmented areas and into the cooking
water. The intensity of color is best
maintained by minimizing the amount of
cooking water; start the beans in just enough
water to cover, and add water only as needed
to keep them barely covered. Persistently
green peas and dried beans owe their color to
chlorophyll.
Pale beans with translucent seed coats
sometimes develop a delicate pink color in the
small embryonic stem when they’re cooked.
This is probably a result of the same reaction
that causes the reddening of poached quinces
and pears (p. 281).