Chickpea: The Legume With Many Names
The chickpea has almost as many names as it has uses. It's often called a garbanzo bean, which comes from the Spanish word garvance. Before that, the word may have Arabic or Greek origins. This valuable, underappreciated plant is easy to grow in many climates and offers food with great nutritional value (protein, fiber, vitamins, amino acids) that keeps well.
So, what's not to like? Well, chickpeas can be a bit bland, especially in their canned, processed incarnation. That's why, when I chose to include chickpeas in my New Year's feast, I started with dried chickpeas instead of canned or frozen ones. After reconstituting by soaking in water and then roasting with aromatic herbs and spices, they make a mouth-watering, flavorful snack or addition to a salad or entree. They are especially good as a stand-in for meat in a vegan or vegetarian bowl with their abundance of protein and other nutrients. Be sure to make extra!
The above pictured Curried Chickpea Bowl is a delight that features fall and winter veggies: carrots, kale, and red cabbage. Grate carrots into a hot pan with a little oil or butter simmering in it. When the carrots are softened and aromatic, add rice and water, bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. While rice is cooking, quick pickle some shredded red cabbage in a brine of 1/2 lime juice and 1/2 water with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar added. Microwave for 1 minute and set aside.
You can also make a dressing to drizzle over the top of all the ingredients with sour cream or yogurt, lime juice, and curry powder. Thin with water to a drizzling consistency. The last step is to sauté the chopped kale in olive oil. Assemble the bowl by fluffing the rice and adding to one quadrant. Place the kale, cabbage, and roasted chickpeas in the other quadrants and drizzle with the dressing. Find the recipe here.
The chickpeas I'm using for this feast come from Pfz Farms in Eastern Colorado. Although most chickpeas are grown in India and surrounding countries they are also grown in Canada, Russia, and the U.S. They belong to the nitrogen-fixing family of legumes that improves the soil they are grown in, a win-win situation!
