Chickpeas
In “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” author Jared Diamond advances the theory that civilization takes hold in areas that have plants and animals that can be domesticated. The Fertile Crescent in the Middle East was the home to more of these than any other region on Earth, and one of the first plants to be domesticated there was the chickpea. It’s remained a staple in the Middle East — and many other regions — ever since.
From the Middle East, the chickpea spread west to Europe and east to India, proving itself adaptable to multiple cuisines. Since it is relatively tasteless, it’s able to take on the flavors of the sauce in which it is cooked. Each region treats the chickpea slightly differently, but all use strong spices and other flavors to boost its appeal. Indian cuisine features dozens of recipes for chickpeas, or channa dal, and most of the Moroccan tagines I’ve seen include chickpeas. Every Iberian cookbook I own has a chickpea and spinach or chorizo combo.
There are two varieties of chickpeas, the desi, which is smaller and green or brown and is thought to be the older of the two, and kabuli, which is the more familiar larger yellowish bean. Nutritionally, chickpeas are high in protein, fiber and trace minerals. Studies show that they help to lower “bad” cholesterol, particularly in combination with garlic, which is a natural pairing. Together with a whole grain, they form a complete protein, making them a good choice for a vegetarian meal. And if that is not enough, I’ve read about Arab recipes for aphrodisiacs made with onions, honey and crushed chickpeas, or camel’s milk, honey and chickpeas. One 16th-century European author recommended that scholars and priests avoid chickpeas because of their aphrodisiac qualities.
After a week of testing chickpea recipes, I have not noticed any of the latter side effects, but there are some recipes that I come back to again and again. It’s easy to keep a couple of cans of chickpeas in the cupboard and some tahini (sesame seed paste) in the fridge, and the two ingredients will allow you to make a number of quick appetizers without much fuss.
Hummus, a mixture of chickpeas and tahini, is pretty simple. Wash and drain two 15-ounce cans of cooked chickpeas and put them in a blender with 3 tablespoons of tahini, a couple of cloves of chopped garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Blend until smooth. I have found that adding a couple of tablespoons of water thins the hummus to a more spreadable consistency. Spread it on a plate, sprinkle with sweet or hot Hungarian paprika, Cajun seasoning or Old Bay, and drizzle on some good olive oil. Serve with warmed pita bread cut into wedges. It will probably take you longer to clean up afterward than to make the hummus. A quick glance at the hummus displays in your local supermarket will give you some ideas for additions: cilantro, roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes or roasted garlic, for example. I’ve seen one recipe that adds ¼ cup of orange juice and 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard to the mix.
Another great party food is spiced and toasted chickpeas. Wash and dry a couple of 15-ounce cans of chickpeas and toast them in a skillet for about 15 minutes until they are brown, adding a couple of tablespoons of curry powder or a cumin/coriander mix as they cook. Rachael Ray tosses in some black pepper and grated Romano cheese at the end and shakes until the cheese is melted. Martha Stewart toasts half the mix at a time in a microwave for about 20 minutes, which frankly seems like way too much work for me.
Falafel is another favorite of mine. Essentially fried chickpea fritters, falafel balls are typically served with a chopped salad in pita breads, drizzled with a yogurt or tahini sauce, and doused with hot sauce. You can get falafel in some of the Greek pita stands in area malls, and Rolando’s Roast Beef and Falafel in Amherst also serves falafel sandwiches. They make a welcome change from pizza or hamburgers for a quick lunch.
Falafel is pretty easy to make at home, if you don’t mind a little frying. My wife has an Israeli recipe, from a Mark’s Meadow School cookbook, that uses canned chickpeas with a slice of bread as a binder. They are moist and smooth and taste a lot like the falafel you get from street vendors.
My version below uses dried chickpeas that have been soaked overnight and mixed with bulgur as a binder. They are grainier and not as creamy on the inside, but I like them. I use sriracha hot sauce on mine, but a quick scan of the Internet will produce recipes for a more traditional tomato- and harissa-based hot sauce.
Recipes
Chickpeas with Chorizo and Spinich
This article was originally published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, March 28, 2008.