Chickpeas contain valuable nutrients. As part of oriental cuisine, they can be processed into falafel, for example.
Chickpeas can be used in many ways and are also extremely he althy. The old cultivated plant comes from the Orient and was cultivated there thousands of years ago. The original form of the chickpea still exists in Turkey today. Chickpeas came to Germany in the 1st century. In the Middle Ages, chickpeas were a popular food and were even used for medicinal purposes. Today it has become quieter around the plant, also known as Roman giggles. The field peas can be integrated very well in a he althy and protein-rich kitchen.
What are chickpeas?
Eating chickpeas has probably never triggered a fit of laughter in anyone. As you might have guessed, the verb “giggle” was not the inspiration for naming the plants. Instead, the name can be traced back to the Latin word “cicer”. The German equivalent is “Erbse”.
Chickpeas belong to the legume family and belong to the legume family. The herbaceous plants can reach a height of up to one meter. There is no close relationship with the native pea.
When we talk about the chickpea, we mean the seeds of the plant. The pods, which are about three centimeters long, usually contain two seeds, which can be brown, yellow or black.
Chickpea plants can only thrive to a limited extent in Germany. They require a warmer climate, so find ideal growing conditions in Australia or India.
How he althy are chickpeas?
Chickpeas provide plenty of protein and are therefore being discussed as a vegan protein substitute. About one-fifth of the seeds of the chickpea are made up of protein. Another advantage is the high fiber content. This means that consumption has a positive effect on digestive activity.
Tip: 100 grams of dried chickpeas contain 336 calories.
The quite high calorie content is offset by just such a vitamin content. In addition, chickpeas contain the amino acids threonine and lysine, important proteinBuilding blocks included.
Chickpeas also contain small amounts of the dietary fiber raffinose. This can form gases in the intestine. Therefore, sensitive people could experience bloating when eating chickpeas.
Warning: Chickpeas are poisonous when raw. They contain the toxin phasin, which breaks down when cooked.
The nutrient content in detail
100 grams of dried chickpeas contain:
- 336 Calories
- 6 grams of fat
- 44 grams of carbohydrates
Vitamins:
- Vitamin C - 5 milligrams
- Vitamin E - 2.8 milligrams
- Vitamin B6 - 0.55 milligrams
- Vitamin B1 - 0.5 milligrams
- Beta Carotene - 180 micrograms
- Folic Acid - 340 micrograms
Minerals:
- Potassium - 800 milligrams
- Phosphate - 330 milligrams
- Calcium - 125 milligrams
- Magnesium - 125 milligrams
- Sodium - 25 milligrams
- Iron - 6 milligrams
- Zinc - 2.4 milligrams
Chickpeas are not only a tasty addition to many dishes, but also a contribution to a he althy diet. Because they…
- makes you full for a long time
- have a lot of roughage, which promotes digestion
- are a valuable vegetable protein source
- supply the body with vitamins and minerals
- contain the active ingredient saponin, which can lower blood pressure
Buy Chickpeas
Chickpeas can be found in the supermarket dried (e.g. from CLASEN) and already pre-cooked in cans (e.g. from Bonduelle). Most seeds are imported from Pakistan, India and Turkey.
Tip: The larger and beige seeds come from the Mediterranean region. Field peas cultivated in India are smaller.
Chickpeas are available all year round. However, not every supermarket carries them. Alternatively, you will find what you are looking for in Asian shops or he alth food stores.
Dried chickpeas keep for years. They should be kept dry, cool and protected from light. If stored too warm, the color of the seeds will be lost.
Prepare the chickpeas
Because of their pleasantly nutty taste, chickpeas can be used in many ways. The seeds have their place in oriental and Mediterranean cuisine. The falafel made from chickpea porridge and the chickpea paste hummus are probably the most famous dishes, which are made fromPrepare the chickpeas.
Feel free to get creative and use chickpeas in soups, sauces or curries.
Tip: Chickpea flour can serve as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour.
Also try roasted chickpeas instead of chips for a he althy snack:
There are a few things to keep in mind when preparing. The human body cannot digest the toxin phasin. This is only completely decomposed during cooking, but can also be removed to a large extent by soaking.
Soak the chickpeas properly
Soaking the chickpeas is a time-consuming process. Soaking chickpeas makes them easier to digest. This also shortens the cooking time.
Soaking Chickpeas - Step by Step
1. Put the chickpeas in a saucepan
2. Fill in twice the amount of water
3. Let the chickpeas soak for at least twelve hours (overnight is best)
4. Check the water level and top up with water
5. Discard soaking water
6. Rinse chickpeas thoroughly
How to cook chickpeas properly
As mentioned before, the soaking time shortens the cooking process. Soaking the seeds for a day cuts the cooking time in half. The cooking time also depends on how the field pea is to be processed. The al dente version is preferred in salads or curries. On the other hand, if you want to make hummus, you will want to cook your chickpeas as soft as possible.
Tip: Dried chickpeas take about two hours to cook.
The process can be shortened in the pressure cooker:
1. Soak the chickpeas
2. Rinse the chickpeas
3. Place the chickpeas in the pressure cooker
4. Cover the chickpeas with water (leaving a third of the pot uncovered)
5. Pressure cooker close
6. Set steam pressure level 2
7. Check doneness after 20 minutes
8. Place chickpeas in a sieve and rinse with fresh water
If the chickpeas have been soaked overnight, the cooking time is reduced to ten minutes.
Making falafel from chickpeas - this is how it's done
Crispy falafel is one of the most popular dishes in oriental cuisine.
The ingredients for about 25 falafel:
- 400 grams of chickpeas (dried)
- a large onion
- four cloves of garlic
- a lemon
- Olive Oil
- Coriander
- parsley
- Cumin
Preparation:
1. Soak the chickpeas overnight
2. Drain off the water
3. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly
4. Peel the onion and garlic
5. Place the chickpeas, onion, garlic and spices in the Put it in the blender
6. Add the lemon juice and a little s alt and mix until you have a creamy mixture
7. Mix in the cumin and coriander and mix the batter well
8. Chill the batter for an hour
9. Slightly moisten your hands and form small balls out of the dough
10. Heat the olive oil in a pan
11. Fry the dough balls on all sides for about three minutes until crispy
12 .golden brown falafels are ready to serve