My way with Chickpeas!
Lentils, beans, peas, chickpeas form an important part of our meals.Even today the beans and peas are bought fresh, and the peas shelled from their pods.Frozen, pre-shelled peas are slowly making their way into our kitchens.Most lentils are soaked for a short time before cooking, while chickpeas and the red kidney beans are bought in the dehydrated form, soaked in water overnight and then boiled till tender (often in a pressure cooker), and then sautéed or curried.
We used to love the chana(chickpea curry)-chawal (rice) and rajma(red bean)-chawal lunches. The poori-chana or bhatura something we as kids were in love with is now made once in a blue moon….Accompanied with yogurt and a vegetable, these are patent lunches of Punjab. With our waistlines not being where they are supposed to be, and with the greater consciousness of carbs and calories, one tends to eliminate the rice and pooris and bhaturas, chickpeas and beans make good ingredients for a cool summer salad. Topped with a squeeze of lemon juice or tamarind sauce, it is a meal on its own .Add a lassi or a milk shake, and it’s a full meal. Oil-less at that!
Chawal=rice
Puri, Bhatura+Two different types of Indian bread, deep fried.
Chickpea Curry
Sautéed Chickpeas
Three Bean Salad
Sautéed Chickpeas
1 can garbanzo beans (or 1 cup dehydrated chickpeas, soaked in water overnight, and then cooked till tender)
1 red onion sliced (reserve a few slices for garnish)
1 tomato cubed
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1” fresh ginger juliennes
3 teaspoons coriander powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon amchoor
1 black cardamom, crushed
Salt
4 tablespoons oil
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Add the garlic and ginger to hot oil in a wok. Sauté and add onions, cook till slightly caramelized. Add spices, salt and tomatoes. Cook for a minute and add chickpeas, along with a little water it was cooked in, or the liquid residue in the can. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, so that some of the liquid evaporates. Garnish with cilantro and slivered onions. Serve hot.
3 Bean Salad
½ cup each of cooked chick peas, Soya bean and red kidney bean
Chopped green jalapeño pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon each of finely diced red, yellow and green pepper
½ a red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped spring onion
1/2 tomato , chopped
¼ cucumber, diced
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
A pinch of cumin powder
Juice of 1 lime
Salt
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
Mix all ingredients. Chill.
Dry soya beans are soaked overnight and cooked. If unavailable, use the small black eyed peas.
As an alternate to lime juice, a tangy tamarind sauce can be used as a dressing.
We used to love the chana(chickpea curry)-chawal (rice) and rajma(red bean)-chawal lunches. The poori-chana or bhatura something we as kids were in love with is now made once in a blue moon….Accompanied with yogurt and a vegetable, these are patent lunches of Punjab. With our waistlines not being where they are supposed to be, and with the greater consciousness of carbs and calories, one tends to eliminate the rice and pooris and bhaturas, chickpeas and beans make good ingredients for a cool summer salad. Topped with a squeeze of lemon juice or tamarind sauce, it is a meal on its own .Add a lassi or a milk shake, and it’s a full meal. Oil-less at that!
Chawal=rice
Puri, Bhatura+Two different types of Indian bread, deep fried.
Chickpea Curry
Sautéed Chickpeas
Three Bean Salad
Sautéed Chickpeas
1 can garbanzo beans (or 1 cup dehydrated chickpeas, soaked in water overnight, and then cooked till tender)
1 red onion sliced (reserve a few slices for garnish)
1 tomato cubed
1 teaspoon garlic paste
1” fresh ginger juliennes
3 teaspoons coriander powder
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon amchoor
1 black cardamom, crushed
Salt
4 tablespoons oil
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Add the garlic and ginger to hot oil in a wok. Sauté and add onions, cook till slightly caramelized. Add spices, salt and tomatoes. Cook for a minute and add chickpeas, along with a little water it was cooked in, or the liquid residue in the can. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, so that some of the liquid evaporates. Garnish with cilantro and slivered onions. Serve hot.
3 Bean Salad
½ cup each of cooked chick peas, Soya bean and red kidney bean
Chopped green jalapeño pepper (optional)
1 tablespoon each of finely diced red, yellow and green pepper
½ a red onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped spring onion
1/2 tomato , chopped
¼ cucumber, diced
¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
A pinch of cumin powder
Juice of 1 lime
Salt
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
Mix all ingredients. Chill.
Dry soya beans are soaked overnight and cooked. If unavailable, use the small black eyed peas.
As an alternate to lime juice, a tangy tamarind sauce can be used as a dressing.
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