Methods

1. Place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water. If you have fresher, dried beans that are on the smaller side, go with 4 to 6 hours. If you, like me, sometimes find yourself prepping a bag of beans that was long hidden in your larder, go with 8 hours to an overnight soak. Same longer soak goes for larger beans like scarlet runners, corona, and gigantes. When ready to use, drain well.
2. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and let it heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion quarters, garlic, and green, garlic, if using, cut side down and cook until deep golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per side for the garlic and green garlic and 4 minutes per side for the onions.
3. Reduce the heat to low and push the alliums to one side of the pan. Add your whole seed spices and cook until they start to sputter and turn a shade darker, about 15 to 30 seconds. Add the soaked, drained beans and cover with water, stock, or a mix of the two. Stir in powdered spices and add any leaves, like tejpatta, and whole, dried chillies. If using preserved lemon, add this here, too. Increase the heat to medium high and bring the pot to a gentle boil, skimming off any foam that forms.
4. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are fully cooked. Halfway through cooking, salt the beans, to taste. The cooking time will depend on the freshness and size of the beans you are using, ranging from just under 2 hours to 4 hours. Serve immediately or use in your favorite bean-based recipes. Store any leftovers in their cooking liquid for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.