Soaking chickpeas (chole) or kidney beans (rajma) overnight is usually considered essential. But many times, we forget to soak them, guests arrive unexpectedly, or a last-minute meal plan leaves no time for preparation. In such situations, most people assume cooking rajma or chole without soaking is impossible.

However, that’s not entirely true.

With a simple home hack, you can cook chickpeas and kidney beans without soaking, and they will still turn soft and well-cooked. The best part? The ingredient used in this hack is something every household already has — ice.

The ice cube hack that actually works

A cooking influencer named Anuradha recently shared this trick on social media, where she demonstrated how chickpeas and kidney beans can be softened using ice cubes during boiling.

How to cook chickpeas and rajma without soaking

Follow these simple steps:

1. Take a pressure cooker and place it on the stove

2. Add 10–12 ice cubes and pour half the usual quantity of water

3. Add unsoaked chickpeas or kidney beans

4. Add salt as per taste

5. Close the lid and cook on medium flame for 20–25 minutes

6. Turn off the flame and let the pressure release naturally

Once opened, you’ll notice that the chickpeas or rajma have become soft and properly cooked, even without soaking.

Why does this trick work?

The ice causes a sudden temperature change (thermal shock) when heated. This helps break down the hard outer layer of the beans, allowing water to penetrate faster and soften them during cooking. Adding salt further helps speed up the process.

Important tip

• This hack works best in a pressure cooker

• Cooking time may vary slightly depending on the quality and age of the beans

• Always check softness before using them in curry or dal