DID YOU KNOW

The name has nothing to do with chicken. Chickpeas are one of the earliest cultivated legumes known by other names — garbanzo, garbanzo beans, gram, Egyptian pea and chana. The yellowish round bean was originally made popular in Middle Eastern dishes. It is the third most important commercial pulse in the world.

Full of protein, chickpeas are used in salads, soups, stews, spreads and their meaty texture make them an excellent substitute for meat in many dishes. Chickpeas were recently listed as one of the future 50 foods in the world based on their high nutritional value, relative low environmental impact, flavour, accessibility and affordability. The chickpea plant is drought and almost pest-resistant with a long season of production. The bush develops pods containing one or two large seeds that are rough in texture with a beak on the tip. It takes little effort to grow and is ideal for a sunny patch in the garden. A sprouted chickpea is said to be way more nutritious than the dried version.

Soak in water overnight, pour off and place in a jar. Leave for a couple of days, rinsing each day until the pea sprouts. Chickpeas were grown in some areas of Germany up to WW1 and were later used ground as coffee. Fact or fiction? Many believe chickenpox got it’s name because of the resemblance of the blisters on the skin to a chickpea. Conveniently available in cans, (save the protein-rich liquid, aquafaba, for baking) to cook dried chickpeas soak in water overnight, drain and boil in fresh water adding a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. Reduce to a simmer on a low heat until the chickpeas are soft. Skim the top of the water from time to time.