Give Chickpeas A Makeover With These Recipes

A warm serving of chickpea stew with rice defines the perfect Indian soul food, and why not? Where else would you find such a confluence of flavours and nutrients?

The traditional Indian chickpea curry, popularly known as ‘chole’ has come to define the perfect weekend lunching scenes. Served with fried Indian bread and rice, chole is the signature Punjabi recipe which has taken the flavours of Indian cuisine beyond borders.

But it’s not just the lip-smacking flavours a generous serving of chickpea offers. Looking at the numerous health benefits it has, there is no reason for skipping it from one’s diet. A rich source of vitamins, proteins, and fiber, chickpeas are considered to be a blessing for people suffering from diabetes. Owing to the fact that chickpeas are loaded with iron, phosphate, calcium, and magnesium, it also helps retain the strength of your bones.

So if you thought, you will have to rack your brains on prepping some tasty chickpea recipes, don’t be intimidated, get on with these basic ones first.

Chickpea Salad 

Image courtesy: Pxhere.com

 Ingredients 

• 1/2 Kg chickpeas (boiled) 
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds ( powdered)
• A pinch of paprika 
• A handful of mint and coriander leaves 
• 1 chopped onion 
• 1 chopped capsicum 
• 1/2 cup of corn cobs 
• 1 avocado 
• 1/2 cup of feta cheese (crumbled) 
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice 
• 1/2 tbsp of black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon of salt 
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar  

Method

• In a bowl mix chickpeas with veggies 
• Toss all the ingredients well 
• Now add the crumbled feta cheese 
• Sprinkle a bit of salt and black pepper 
• Add a bit of lime juice and vinegar 
• If you prefer you can let your salad freeze for a bit 
• Or, serve it fresh 

Hummus 

 Image courtesy: Pxhere.com

Ingredients 

• 1/2 Kg chickpeas (boiled)
• 5-6 garlic cloves 
• 1/2 piece of ginger 
• 6 tablespoon of olive oil 
• 4 tablespoon of roasted sesame seeds 
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice 
• 1/2 tbsp of black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon of salt 

Method

• In a blender add chickpeas with garlic cloves and ginger. Blend them for 15 secs
• Once the blend is ready to take it out in a bowl 
• Dribble a few drops of olive oil and sprinkle paprika from the top 

Chickpea Curry Or Chhole

Image courtesy: Pxhere.com

Ingredients 

• 1/2 Kg chickpeas (boiled) 
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds (powdered)
• A pinch of paprika 
• A handful of mint and coriander leaves 
• 5-6 garlic cloves 
• 1/2 piece of ginger
• 1 chopped onion 
• 1 chopped capsicum 
• 2 tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon of lime juice 
• 1/2 tbsp of black pepper 
• 1/2 tbsp of turmeric
• 1/2 tbsp of coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt 
• 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar 

Method  

• Heat some oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they start popping add tomatoes and onions 
• Sauté them well till onions turn golden and tomatoes ooze out their juices. 
• Add all the spices and Sauté till you have a rich golden paste 
• To enhance flavours, add a pinch of sugar
• Now add the boiled chickpeas with stalk 
• Let it simmer for a while. 
• Once it’s boiled and ready, sprinkle chopped coriander leaves on top
• Serve with steamed rice or flatbreads