Chickpeas are pea-sized legumes often eaten cold in salads, cooked in stews, or ground into a flour. Native to Asia, chickpeas have become a staple in many Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Indian dishes such as falafel and hummus. Popular among vegetarians, they are high in protein, zinc, calcium, folic acid and fiber. Chickpeas grow best in tropical or subtropical climates with plenty of rain. The plant is between one and two feet high, covered with feathery leaves and seed pods, each of which with yield two or three chickpeas. Chickpeas were among the first crops to be cultivated by humans as evidenced by fossil records dating back 7,500 years.
Availability and Use of Chickpeas
Canned chickpeas are available in most grocery stores, dried chickpeas are available in most health food stores and international grocery stores. No planning is required when using the canned variety. You should drain and rinse the canned variety before incorporating in your recipe. If you prefer to stock dry legumes in your pantry, you must begin to prepare the chickpeas several hours or the day before you plan to use them in a recipe. A pressure cooker can cut the preparation of dried legumes down considerably. Hummus and falafel recipes require a food processor.
