Chickpea surprises
If you were to select one quintessential iftar dish, hands down chickpea will be it. No iftar meal is ever complete without it, and it is not only in Bangladesh but also across the entire globe that this legume enjoys soaring popularity. Also known as garbanzo beans, chickpeas are an essential ingredient in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and of course Indian cuisines.
So what makes this a superfood? One of the eight founder crops, chickpea is high in nutritive value — 1 cup serving has only 4 grams of total fat; it has low cholesterol and sodium levels. It is also a good source of dietary fibre, protein, copper, folate, manganese, iron, phosphorus, zinc and whole lot of vitamins.
Ways in which chickpea benefits the body
Helps control blood sugar levels.
Increases satiety and helps with weight loss.
Improves digestion due to a high fibre content.
Helps protect against heart disease and cancer.
Provides essential vitamins and minerals.
Great source of plant-based protein.
Some chickpea basics
There are primarily two variants of chickpeas available in the market. The 'deshi' ones (also known as brown chickpeas); and the kabuli one (also known as the white chickpea). The local variant contains smaller, darker seeds and has more of a rough coat. Kabuli is a larger, lighter coloured bean with a smoother coat.
If you prefer to use dried chickpea remember to soak them in water for 24 hours before cooking. Keep in mind that one cup of raw chickpeas gives about two and a half cups of soaked/boiled chickpeas.
To speed up the soaking process, add a teaspoon of bicarbonate to the water, but bear in mind that this may impart a bitter flavour to the chickpeas. Depending on the recipe, the cooking time for the chickpea will vary between half an hour to two hours. Using a pressure cooker with significantly reduce the cooking time.
Chickpeas and mint rice
An all-rounder that contains cereals, pulses, veggies, and oil, chickpea and mint rice is a satiating one-dish meal. All you need is to serve this quick and easy rice with a bowl of calcium- rich, low-fat curds to make a balanced and complete dish.
Ingredients
1 cup soaked and boiled chickpeas
¼ cup finely chopped mint leaves
2 cups soaked and cooked rice
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
½ cup thinly sliced onions
2 bay leaves
½ cup chopped and boiled mixed vegetables (French beans, carrots and green peas)
1 tsp green chilli paste
½ tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Low-fat curd
Method
Heat oil in a broad non-stick pan. Add garlic, onions and bay leaves. Sauté on medium flame till the onion turns brown. Add rice, chickpeas, mixed vegetables and salt. Mix well and cook on medium flame for 2 minutes. Add green chilli paste, mint leaves and lemon juice, mix well and cook for another minute. Serve hot with low-fat curds.
Nutrient value per serving
Energy- 150 calories, protein- 4.3 g, carbohydrates- 27.8 gm, fat- 2.5 gm, fibre-1.2 gm, iron- 2.6 mg
Baked chickpea parcels
This is a delicious, easy to serve 'snack-like' dish. A spicy tangy chickpea preparation is placed inside a plain flour dough leavened with yeast, and baked in an oven. Somewhat like a chickpea stuffed bun, these baked chickpea parcels have a fluffy texture with a scrumptious filling.
You must prepare the chickpea 1-3 hours in advance and allow it to cool before stuffing into the dough, in order to get the right texture.
Ingredients
For the dough —
2 cups plain flour
1 tbsp instant dry yeast
½ tsp sugar
Salt to taste
¼ cup melted butter
For the chickpeas —
2 cups white chickpeas
2 tbsp oil
2 cloves
2 small cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp cumin seeds
½ cup finely chopped onions
1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp finely chopped green chillies
½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp coriander powder
Salt to taste
Other ingredients —
Plain flour for rolling
Butter for brushing
Method
Combine yeast, sugar and ¼ cup of warm water in a small bowl and mix well. Cover it and keep aside for 10 minutes. Combine plain flour, salt and yeast-sugar mixture in a deep bowl, mix well and knead into soft dough, using warm water as required.
Add butter and knead well till smooth. Cover the dough with a wet muslin cloth and leave them for 45 minutes. Knead the dough again to remove the excess air and keep aside. Heat oil in a deep pan, add cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin seeds and onions. Sauté on medium flame for 6 minutes.
Add the ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, and tomatoes; mix well and cook on medium flame for 5 minutes. Add turmeric powder, chaat masala, coriander powder and salt, mix well and cook for few minutes. Add boiled chickpeas and cook for 5 minutes, mashing it lightly with the back of a spoon, while stirring occasionally.
Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Now divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll 2 portions of the dough into a 75mm (3") diameter circle using a little plain flour for rolling.
Place a portion of prepared chickpeas in the centre, apply little water on the sides and place another rolled portion over it. Press it very well on the sides to seal it tightly. Repeat steps to make remaining 7 parcels and keep aside for 5 minutes. Arrange the parcels on a greased baking tray at equal intervals, leaving space between each parcel for expansion, and bake them in a pre-heated oven at 200 degree C for 15 minutes. Brush the parcels with butter and serve immediately.
Chickpea tikka
Tikkas of various types are very popular in Bangladesh and India. Here is a nutritious variant of this all-time favourite dish made with protein and calcium rich ingredients like chickpeas and mint.
Ingredients
2 cups soaked and boiled chickpeas
½ cup chopped mint leaves
2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
¼ cup finely chopped capsicum
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup grated cabbage, ½ tsp grated garlic
½ tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
Salt to taste, 3¼ tsp oil for greasing and cooking
Method
Combine chickpeas, mint leaves and green chillies in a mixer and blend to a coarse mixture without using water. Transfer the mixture into a deep bowl, add all the remaining ingredients and mix well. Divide the mixture into 15 equal portions and shape each portion into a 50 mm (2") diameter round flat tikka. Heat and grease a non-stick flat pan using ¼ tsp of oil. Cook each tikka, using ¼ tsp oil, till they turn golden in colour from both sides. Serve hot with green chutney.
Nutrient value per tikka
Energy- 53 kcal, protein- 2.0 gm, carbohydrate- 7.1 gm, fat- 1.8 gm, fibre- 3.4 gm, calcium- 30.0 mg.
Chickpea Dip
Here I have combined chickpeas with beetroot, almonds, curd, garlic and other ingredients to make a beetroot and chickpea dip which feels rich, has a vibrant colour, and dynamic taste too. It has a little bit multiple flavours, tanginess, spiciness, sweetness and a garlicky touch too. Enjoy it with Lavash bread.
Ingredients
1 cup soaked and boiled chickpeas
½ cup peeled and chopped beetroot
¼ cup blanched almonds
¼ cup hung curds
¼ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ tsp olive oil for drizzling.
Method
Combine all ingredients in a mixer with ½ cup of water and blend till smooth. Transfer the mixture into a serving bowl. Just before serving, drizzle the olive oil evenly over it and serve chilled with lavash bread.
Nutrient values per tablespoon
Energy- 43 cal, protein- 1.7 g, carbohydrates- 4.6 g, fibre- 1.8 g, fat- 1.8 g, vitamin A- 22.5 mcg, vitamin B3- 0.3 mg, calcium-32.9 mg, iron-0.4 mg, potassium-13.4 mg, zinc-0.3 mg.
Gassi
Gassi (also spelt as ghassi or gashi) is a popular curry from Mangalore, southern part of India, made using chickpeas, fresh ground spices and coconut. The gassi is typically served with a roti that is thin, crispy, and made using rice flour. You can also eat it with paratha or rice.
Ingredients
½ cup chickpeas, dry
For masala paste —
4 dried red chillies, 2 cloves garlic
2 tsp coriander seeds
½ cup coconut scrapings
½ tsp tamarind paste
¼ tsp turmeric powder, ¼ tsp salt
For tempering —
1 tbsp coconut oil
Few curry leaves
¼ tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch asafoetida
Method
Soak chickpeas in plenty of water for 8-10 hours. Drain the chickpeas. In a pan, boil the chickpeas until soft. Keep aside.
In a wok, dry roast red chillies until crisp, along with coriander seeds. In a mixer, grind to a fine paste — the red chillies, coriander seeds, garlic, coconut, tamarind — using up to ½ cup of water. Now place the cooked chickpeas in a pan along with the freshly ground spice paste. Add salt, turmeric powder and ½ cup of water. Bring to a simmer till curry consistency. For tempering, in a small pan heat the oil, splutter the mustard seeds, add curry leaves, red chillies, fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and transfer it over the curry. Serve hot with roti, paratha or rice.
Chickpeas and beans salad
This calcium and protein packed treat helps you stay young not only by making up for lost muscle mass, but also by strengthening the bones. The vitamin C in lemon juice also works wonders by improving your immunity, keeping your skin supple and smooth, and improving the absorption of vitamin D, which is essential for stronger bones. Make the dressing for this salad close to serving time to retain maximum vitamin C.
Ingredients
3/4 cup soaked and boiled chickpeas
3/4 cup soaked and boiled kidney beans
3/4 cup broad field beans
1 cup lettuce, torn into pieces
2 tbsp processed cheese cubes
½ cup spring onions
½ cup tomato cubes
To be mixed into a dressing —
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp dried oregano
1 tsp finely chopped garlic
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
Method
In a deep bowl, combine all ingredients, accept the dressing, and toss well. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Serve immediately.
Nutrient values per serving
Energy- 195 kcal, protein-10.4 gm, carbohydrates- 27.4 gm, fat-5.0 gm, calcium- 178.6 mg.
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Food Styling: LS
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