Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The cooking quality and softening of legume cotyledon cells during boiling depend on middle lamella pectin dissolution.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
According to the classical Mattson phytin-calcium-pectin theory of pulse cooking and the hard-to-cook (HTC) defect, cooking time is governed by interactions between middle lamella pectin, divalent cations ($\text{Ca}^{2+}, \text{Mg}^{2+}$), and phytin (phytic acid).
Phytin chelates divalent cations; if phytin is enzymatically depleted (by phytase) or if calcium/magnesium levels are elevated, calcium-magnesium pectates form in the middle lamella, preventing cell separation and prolonging cooking time.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Hence, cooking time is directly related to the amount of pectin + calcium + magnesium + phytin.