May's Tag Game ~Garbanzos (Chickpeas)~ Community Forums - p1

Sat Apr 30, 2011 2:10 pm

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Chickpeas are often referred to (in various regions) as garbanzo beans, Bengal gram, Kabuli Black, and Indian peas. They are actually legumes in the fabaceae family and are one of the earliest cultivated vegetables.

Chickpeas originated in Southern Europe and India, but are now widely grown throughout the Mediterranean region, western Asia, India, and Australia. They are staple in various world cuisines, including Spanish Cuisine.

Chickpeas are usually ready for harvest about 100 days after planting, which makes them a popular choice from home gardeners in subtropical climates.

There are two main kinds of chickpeas. Desi chickpeas are small, darker seeds with a rough coat, cultivated primarily in India, Ethiopia, Mexico and Iran. In contrast, Kabuli chickpeas are lighter in color with larger seeds and a smoother coat, and mainly grown in Southern Europe, North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Chile.

Chickpeas are perhaps most commonly purchased in most parts of the world as a frozen or canned food product and used for a variety of cooking purposes. But chickpeas can also be eaten fresh, picked when pods are still immature and green, which they are eaten like fresh snap beans. Or, to dry chickpeas, the entire plant is harvested when the leaves have turned brown. The plant is placed on a flat, warm surface to allow the pods to dry completely. The seeds are then collected as the pods begin to split, which you know they’re sufficiently dry when the seeds barely dent when bitten.

If unshelled, chickpeas will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week. Dried, shelled chickpeas will keep in a cool, dry place for up to a year.

Cooking With Chickpeas

Chickpeas are a versatile product and offer a variety of cooking potential. For instance, mature chickpeas can be cooked and eaten cold in salads or added to stews/soups and main dishes for nutritional value and flavor. But chickpeas can also be ground for a variety of uses. For instance, chickpeas can be ground to a dry flour (called gram flour) which is used for a variety of pastries and baked dishes, or they can be ground to a paste to make hummus. Falafel is another popular recipe in the many Middle Eastern cuisines, which consists of ground chickpeas that are formed into balls and fried to make the delectable dish that can be eaten as a quick snack or served in pita or flatbreads, or sometimes used as a salad topper.

Chickpeas can also be stirred into a batter and baked to make farinata (a thin unleavened pancake) which is popular in many Mediterranean cuisines. They are also often roasted and seasoned to make a snack called Turkish leblebi. Chickpeas are also widely used for curries that are popular in wide variety of Middle Eastern vegetarian dishes.

Chickpeas can also be fermented to make an alcoholic drink similar to sake.

Health and Nutritional Information

Chickpeas are high in protein and low in fat (primarily polyunsaturated fat), serving as a good source of zinc and folate. They are also very high in dietary fiber and a healthy source of carbohydrates, and a popular and healthy staple for many diabetic patients.

.............................~ Tag Game ~ May 2011 ~

You can pick one of these wonderful recipes that we have found, or you can pick your own chickpea recipe to tag. Just be sure it has chickpeas or garbanzo beans as a listed ingredient. And there is no limit on the number of recipes you can tag, other than you must return to this thread to report your completion (of making and reviewing) them before May 31, 2011.

Featured Spanish Recipes ~ Chickpeas

Spanish Chicken With Chorizo and Chickpeas by HollyGolightly
A zesty and delicious pollo recipe with many Spanish ingredients including tomatoes, saffron, chorizo sausage, garlic, chickpeas, garlic and aromatic herbs.

Trio of Spanish Nibbles: Olives, Almonds & Chickpeas by JackieOhNo!
In Spain, tapas are served much in the way that Americans offer appetizers as starters before meals. And this recipe offers a trio of traditional tapas offering of Olives, Almonds, and Chickpeas that might be served with drinks in a variety of bars or served before a meal in the home of a typical family in Spain.

Garbanzos Y Chorizo by JanuaryBride
A 5-star version of a traditional tapas recipe that’s packed with all sorts of flavorful Spanish ingredients including olive oil, onions, chickpeas, and chorizo sausage.

Misc. Paella Recipes and Rice Dishes