One of the foods trending on the healthy track this year is Pulses — edible seeds of legume plants. Think dried peas, lentils and chickpeas: Not exactly exciting ingredients, but staples in many Mediterranean cuisines for their low-cost, fiber-filling benefits and easy storage. They are also an important source of nonanimal protein.
I recently found chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans, to be a revelation. Most people here in the U.S. encounter whole, cooked chickpeas mainly in restaurant salad bars, where the legume is a cost-effective item. But chickpeas are incredibly versatile beyond topping salads. Used in hummus, baba ganoush and stir-fries, they also make a satisfying crunchy snack when baked. Even the liquid from canned chickpeas can be whipped into a foam that serves as a dairy-free substitute for cream or egg whites in recipes for meringues, mousses, and fruit-based “ice creams.” Eating chickpeas can help you feel full faster, so you eat less. Here are a few ways to add the versatile chickpea to your diet.
Crunchy Baked Chickpeas
You may end up cursing me for getting you addicted to this easy, crispy, nutty, savory snack. Here is the basic version; try this first, then experiment with favorite herbs and spices, like rosemary, thyme, garam masala, chili or curry powder, or cayenne pepper.
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained, rinsed well under cool water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Blot chickpeas with paper towels or between two clean dish towels until very dry. Toss with olive oil and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 35 minutes, or until browned and crunchy on the outside. Stir chickpeas every 10 minutes while baking. Remove from oven, toss with salt, and eat while still warm.
Green Garbanzo Rice
This recipe calls for the dried beans, which you soak the night before; the soaking liquid is also used. Recipe from “Smart Food” by Marlisa Szwillus; makes 4 main dish servings or 6 side dish servings.
6 ounces dried garbanzo beans
1 bunch spring onions
1 medium-large zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon hot paprika
1 1/2 cups long grain rice (parboiled)
3 sprigs fresh mint or basil
3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Put the dried garbanzo beans in a pot, cover with water, and let soak overnight. The next day, bring to a boil in the soaking water and cook, covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Cut white part of onions into thin slices; cut green part into pieces about an inch long. Dice zucchini. Heat oil in a skillet; saute zucchini cubes and onion tops and bottoms, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to taste; add paprika and stir. Put rice, cooked garbanzos, and 2 cups of the garbanzo cooking water into a pot. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low, and simmer about 20 minutes. Finely chop the mint or basil. When rice-garbanzo mixture is almost done, stir in the onion-zucchini mixture; heat gently. Fold in the mint or basil; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
Chickpea Curry
You can make this curry up to three days in advance; warm slowly to reheat. This version is vegetarian, but you can add some shredded cooked chicken at the end if desired. Recipe from “Almost Vegetarian” by Diana Shaw; makes 4 servings.
3-inch chunk fresh ginger, peeled
6 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup minced cilantro
1 tablespoon Madras-style curry powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
Pinch cayenne pepper
4 large tomatoes (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded and chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
3 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained (rinsed if using canned)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt
Finely grate the ginger and garlic with a cheese grater. Heat butter in medium skillet; sauté ginger, garlic, onion, cilantro, curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne over medium-low heat, until onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, apple and chickpeas; cook over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have cooked down into a pulpy stew, about 20 minutes. Add lemon juice, raisins and coconut; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, just to thicken and blend. Turn off heat, stir in yogurt, cover and let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Fennel and Chickpeas Stew
Serve with roast pork, sausages, or a meaty fish like ahi or swordfish. Recipe from “More Vegetables, Please” by Janet Fletcher; makes 4 to 6 servings.
3/4 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 pound piece smoked ham hock or slab bacon
1/2 onion, stuck with 1 clove garlic
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
12 ounces fresh trimmed fennel (2 or 3 bulbs)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh fennel leaves (optional)
A day ahead: Put chickpeas and 8 cups cold water in a 4-quart saucepan; add ham hock or bacon, onion, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat and continue simmering until chickpeas are just tender, about 1 /2 to 2 hours. Add more boiling water if needed to keep the chickpeas covered. When done, let them cool in the cooking liquid, then refrigerate overnight.
Cut away and discard fennel stalks, reserving feathery leaves. Cut bulbs into quarters; trim away some of the core, leaving enough to hold bulb intact. Discard any tough, thick outer layers, using only the pale green tender parts. Chop fennel into half-inch pieces. Remove ham hock, bay leaf, onion and thyme sprigs from chickpeas. Bring chickpeas to a simmer over medium heat; add fennel, garlic, salt and pepper to taste; stir once. Partially cover and cook until fennel is tender, about 10-15 minutes, checking often. Taste and season as needed. Transfer stew to a warm serving bowl; garnish with parsley and minced fennel leaves.