Hummus, falafel, a side dish in the form of porridge and many soups can be made with chickpeas. To make these dishes tasty, it is important to know how to cook chickpeas correctly. How long to cook it depends on whether heat treatment begins immediately or after soaking.
- Ingredients
- How to cook chickpeas How long to cook chickpeas after soaking
Boiled chickpeas in proper nutrition
Chickpeas, also known as chickpeas, have become a regular part of both the diet of the food industry and the menu of the average person. It is loved for its pleasant taste, healthfulness and even aid in weight loss. Some perceive it as exotic and enthusiastically experiment in preparing dishes with it, although in many countries chickpeas have long been an ordinary product.
Speaking of uses, chickpeas are used in a variety of dishes. Italians make chickpea flour from it, which is then used to make fariantas - Italian flatbreads. Hummus and falafel (famous oriental dishes) are also made from chickpeas.
It contains many useful substances and vitamins, for example:
- zinc;
- folic acid;
- lysine;
- vitamin B1;
- vitamin B6;
And some minerals. In addition, it is rich in carbohydrates and proteins. More specifically, for 100 grams of raw chickpeas we get:
- 309 kcal
- fat 4.32 g
- proteins 20.1 g
- carbohydrates 46.12 g
Boiled chickpeas, naturally, have lower indicators. Per 100 g:
- 127 kcal
- fat 1.9 g
- proteins 8.3 g
- carbohydrates 19.3 g
Chickpeas can be used to make not only hummus, falafel, pilaf and hearty soups. It is often used to make cutlets, and some fans add it as one of the ingredients in chili. In addition, boiled chickpeas go great with salads, making them more filling. And in pp-cooking, these peas are good for a variety of main courses, for example, here there is an excellent recipe for chicken with chickpeas.
In order for chickpeas to fully reveal their taste, when cooking you should add a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. But you should do this 15 minutes before it’s ready.
Culinary improvisation
Chickpeas can be the basis of a complete, nutritious meal. As already mentioned, such beans are in perfect harmony in taste with meat ingredients and vegetables. We suggest you cook chickpeas with fresh tomatoes and bacon. It is unlikely that anyone will be able to resist such a gastronomic temptation.
Ingredients:
- chickpeas – 0.2 kg;
- onion - one head;
- chilled raw bacon – 300 g;
- refined vegetable oil – two to three tablespoons. spoons;
- fresh tomato - one piece;
- dried greens - four tablespoons. spoons;
- salt.
Preparation:
- We sort the chickpeas, removing spoiled beans, and rinse them thoroughly so that the water becomes clear.
- Place the washed chickpeas in a bowl and fill with chilled water.
- Leave for at least 5 hours. It’s even better to soak the chickpeas the night before and leave them overnight.
- After the allotted time has passed, add the required amount of water and boil the chickpeas until tender for 40-60 minutes.
- Chop the peeled onion into small cubes.
- Cut raw bacon into thin slices. But keep in mind that during heat treatment this product will shrink by about three times.
- Cut fresh tomato into small cubes.
- In a dry frying pan, preheated well, fry the bacon slices until golden.
- Pour refined vegetable oil into another frying pan and heat it thoroughly.
- First, sauté the chopped onion.
- Meanwhile, our bacon was cooking. Add tomato to it.
- Combine bacon, tomato and fried onion.
- Mix all ingredients and simmer for a few more minutes on low heat.
- Drain the remaining broth from the boiled chickpeas. We will still need it.
- The peas were cooked, but still retained their shape.
- Add bacon and vegetables to it.
- And pour in the broth that was strained after boiling the chickpeas.
- Mix all ingredients, add salt and add dried herbs. It is better to use dill with parsley.
- Cover the dish with a lid and simmer everything over low heat for a quarter of an hour.
- The prepared dish has an amazing taste and aroma.
Advice! Dried herbs can be replaced with fresh ones. But in this case, it is better to add it to the finished dish immediately before serving.
With or without soaking
Like regular peas, chickpeas are sold exclusively in dried form. This increases its shelf life and there is no fear that it will become wrinkled during transportation. But that’s not why you need to soak it.
Properly soaked chickpeas:
- it cooks faster - that is, more nutrients remain in it;
- makes it possible to cook as needed for a specific dish. And unsoaked can begin to turn into puree on the outside, while remaining hard on the inside;
- does not provoke flatulence, since soaking neutralizes inhibitors and phytic acid - substances that disrupt the functioning of the entire gastrointestinal tract, prevent the intestines from absorbing many benefits from chickpeas, and block the work of our digestive enzymes. To put it simply, soaked chickpeas will be absorbed as needed and will not cause bloating, unlike dry-cooked ones.
Soak the chickpeas for at least 4 hours . This is enough for it to become soft and easily cooked. There is an opinion that it is better to keep it in water for about 12 hours, but during this time it will not become softer. It’s just more convenient - pour it overnight, and you can cook it in the morning. But there is a danger that after such a long time the chickpeas will begin to ferment, so it is better to hide the saucepan in the refrigerator. But how long to cook the chickpeas after soaking, you will have to decide for yourself - both the dish you want to prepare and the container in which these peas are cooked are important.
Just don’t forget to then drain the water in which the chickpeas were lying and rinse them well. It is in this water that all the “useless things” will be found.
If you need to cook it without soaking, then this can be done, although it is more difficult. To do this you will need to add one teaspoon of soda to 2.5 liters of water - it will help soften the peas. After this, close the lid and cook for 4 hours over medium heat, changing the water a couple of times. But at the same time, the chickpeas will lose some of their nutritional properties and will taste slightly soda.
In some cases, soda is added during the cooking process to soften the chickpeas more. This is usually done to make hummus or falafel, which are made from chickpea puree.
Simple recipes for delicious chickpea-based dishes
If you cook beans in compliance with all the nuances, and at the same time correctly combine them with other ingredients, you can learn how to cook real works of art. Gourmets who don’t care how much time and effort they have to spend creating a culinary masterpiece should pay attention to the following recipes:
Veal with chickpeas in tomato sauce:
- We will need already boiled peas in the amount of 200 g, a piece of veal (also 200 g), carrots, a bunch of parsley and dill, 3-4 fresh tomatoes, spices, salt and dried herbs to taste.
- Cut the meat into small cubes, season with your favorite spices and fry in a dry frying pan with a non-stick coating.
- Pour a little water into the meat, add peeled and diced tomatoes, simmer first over medium, then over low heat for half an hour.
- Add peeled and coarsely grated carrots and simmer for another 10 minutes. Then lay out the chickpeas, mix everything, add chopped greens and herbs.
- Keep this entire mixture under a closed lid for 5 minutes and you can serve.
This dish can be easily prepared in a slow cooker. This approach will even make the process easier and provide the final result with an appetizing aroma and rich taste.
Turkish peas stewed with tomatoes and cheese:
- Take 200 g of boiled chickpeas, a couple of fresh tomatoes, 200 g of Adyghe cheese, a little butter, turmeric, salt, pepper and fresh herbs.
- Cut the cheese into small cubes, trying not to crumble it. In a frying pan or in a slow cooker with the lid open, melt the butter, in which we first fry the turmeric and pepper, then add the cheese.
- While the pieces of fermented milk product are covered with a delicate crust, peel the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and cut the pulp into cubes.
- Add tomatoes to the cheese, fry this mixture for literally one minute and add chickpeas.
- Close the lid of the container. You need to cook (simmer) the mixture for about 10 minutes. After this, add salt to the mixture (taking into account the degree of salinity of the cheese), knead thoroughly, place on plates and sprinkle with fresh chopped herbs.
Boiled peas can be used in soups and porridges, and they add nutrition to light salads. If you fry the component in a small amount of vegetable oil for 5-6 minutes and lightly add salt, you will get an original snack that resembles nuts in texture and taste. But the beans are ready, brought to a puree state, often mixed with creamy processed cheese, and then deep-fried. In general, there are many options for preparing a component; you just need to choose the appropriate one and implement it correctly.
How to cook chickpeas in a saucepan
To begin with, chickpeas should be soaked for several hours. After 3-4 hours, the water is drained, and the swollen peas are rinsed with cold water and poured into the pan. Water is also added there and the cooking process begins, and how long to cook the chickpeas depends on the dish you have planned:
- so that it is soft but retains its shape, cook for 1 hour;
- if puree is required, then 2 hours;
- if you plan to fry it later, then 40 minutes is enough.
In this case, you need to salt the water closer to the end of cooking, and if we are talking about preparing puree, then the water is not salted at all. Salt prevents legumes from boiling!
It’s very easy to check if they’re ready—cooked peas burst easily on your teeth.
Vegetable soup with chickpeas and cabbage
We will need:
- water – 0.5 l;
- boiled chickpeas – 150 g;
- green beans – 70 g;
- Brussels sprouts – 70 g;
- cauliflower – 120 g;
- dried onions;
- crackers.
Preparation:
- Add water to the chickpeas and grind with a blender;
- Place chickpeas on fire;
- When the liquid boils, add vegetables;
- Cook for 10 minutes;
- Sprinkle dried onions over soup;
- Add croutons to the plates with the finished soup.
Cooking in a slow cooker
In order to cook chickpeas in a slow cooker, the already soaked and washed peas are poured into a bowl and filled with water so that it covers them by 2-3 centimeters. After this, add bay leaf and cook on the “stew” program for about an hour. At the end you can add salt and other spices.
Many argue that it is necessary to remove the skins from the peas, but this is just a matter of taste. The skins have virtually no effect on the taste of the finished dishes, but they are an additional source of fiber.
Nutritionist's recommendations
Chickpeas, like any other legumes, are great for weight loss. The point is not only in fiber, but also in the fact that it is slowly digested, that is, it gives a feeling of fullness for a long time. However, you should not completely switch to a diet of these peas, since they are quite high in calories, as mentioned above. In addition, it will be useful for strengthening the cardiovascular system and normalizing digestion.
It is well suited for soups and salads, pilaf, and side dishes, making them more satisfying. It is tasty and healthy to eat raw chickpeas after they have swollen in water. You can simply eat peas, or you can keep them in water for 12-18 hours instead of 4 and eat the product that has begun to germinate. In the second case, the amount of protein will decrease, but the fiber content will increase.
There are also contraindications, for example, its excess can, on the contrary, spoil digestion, causing constipation and increased gas production. However, a combination of chickpea dishes with fresh herbs, such as parsley or dill, can help with the latter.
In some cases, there may be a personal intolerance to this product, so you should be careful. If you feel unwell after eating, then do not torture yourself; in the future, refrain from this product.
What are chickpeas
Chickpeas, also known as nohat, Turkish or lamb peas, are a plant belonging to the legume family. It is valued for its rich composition and nutritional properties. Peas are especially popular in countries such as:
- India;
- Pakistan;
- China;
- Ethiopia
- Mexico;
- Türkiye.
This type of pea is a valuable source of protein, so it is often present in the menu of people who have completely given up eating meat. Externally, chickpeas look like small nuts; their beans are slightly larger than ordinary peas. The leguminous crop is heat-loving, grows well in a comfortable, subtropical climate, and is extremely resistant to common diseases and pests.
Chickpea dishes are popular not only among vegetarians. The product has a relatively low nutritional value and a large range of useful substances, so it is recommended to add it to the diet of people who need to reduce or control weight. Porridges, first courses, and desserts made from nokhat perfectly fill you up and satisfy your hunger for a long time.
To get the vitamins and beneficial elements your body needs, it is enough to eat about one hundred grams of boiled chickpeas a day. And to completely satisfy your hunger, 25–30 g of the product is enough, which means that a hundred-gram portion can be divided into 3–4 meals. Regular consumption will help improve immunity, reduce blood cholesterol levels, and prevent the progression of diseases of the visual system.
Final tips
The peas should be the same color and, preferably, the same size. They can be stored in a dry, cool place, away from direct sunlight. If the temperature is from 0 to 5 degrees Celsius, then the shelf life can reach one year. Turkish peas do not require any special packaging. Some people store it in resealable jars, others in canvas bags - there is not much difference. Perhaps it is better to keep it away from spices, as it can become saturated with their smell.
That's basically it. Eat healthy and try new things.
Irina Polyanitsa My name is Irina, I am the owner and admin of the site, as well as the author of most of the recipes and articles. I love to cook simple and healthy delicacies. Certified gym instructor, personal trainer. She completed a course on nutrition and health at Stanford University, Stanford Introduction to Food and Health, as well as a course at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU) Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy (about nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy).
