Mankind has been growing this leguminous crop for more than 7000 years, and it is used not only as a nutrient, but also as a medicine. In Russia, chickpeas began to spread only recently, but in the East it is very popular.
In this article, we will explain why it should be included in the daily menu, give some recipes for its preparation.
A bit of history
As mentioned above, the history of chickpeas as human food began a long time ago. Coming from the East to the tables of Rome and Greece, he immediately took the place of a revered food product. He was quickly tied to the pantheon, having allocated a place near Venus, as it was claimed that chickpeas contribute to health. In addition, it began to be valued above peas, as it was more nutritious and to a lesser extent stimulated gas formation.
Today it is actively used in the cuisines of countries such as India, Turkey, Mexico, Pakistan. Slightly less popular, but at the same time sincerely loved by chickpeas in the Mediterranean countries.
Structure
Chickpeas are loved by the people not only for their taste, but also for exceptional nutritional value. Being a plant product, Turkish peas are able to compete with eggs, as they have a similar set of amino acids. In other words, fasting, vegans and those who should not have eggs for medical reasons will find salvation in chickpeas. In addition, the calorie content of chickpeas will please fighters for a healthy lifestyle, as this product contains fibers (both soluble and none), manganese, selenium, iron, and, of course, a large amount of protein.
On the topic of the benefits of this food product, you can rant for a very long time, we will try to highlight the main points:
- stimulates digestion, while lowering cholesterol in the body;
- due to manganese promotes blood formation and stimulates growth;
- due to molybdenum, which is part of chickpeas, the body activates the neutralization of harmful preservatives;
- protects eyes from the formation of cataracts;
- normalizes blood sugar.
Calorie content of chickpeas in dry form is 364 kcal per 100 grams, while it contains 19 grams of protein, 6 grams of vegetable fat and 61 grams of carbohydrates.
How to cook chickpeas?
The only problem that can occur with chickpeas is the initial preparation. It is very hard and cooked long enough, but if you follow the cooking principle, you will save yourself from the hassle. It can also be welded for future use and frozen for the future.
Soak the chickpeas in cold water overnight first. Fluids should be 3 times more than Turkish peas. If you plan to grind boiled chickpeas in mashed potatoes (for example, make hummus, the recipe of which we will give below), then you can add 1 teaspoon of soda without a slide, as it helps soften the dense shell.
After the specified period, the chickpea will significantly increase in size. Drain the old water and fill the cold new, then put the peas on a fire. Let it boil, remove the foam and reduce the heat to a minimum, then cook for 2 hours. Drain the water, wait for the chickpeas to cool, and use it according to the recipe.
Vegetable stew with chickpeas
Turkish peas are most effective in combination with vegetables, so treat yourself to delicious and healthy vegetable stew:
- boiled chickpeas - 400 grams;
- peeled tomatoes - 400 grams;
- eggplant - 400 grams;
- cumin - 0.5 tsp;
- eggplant - 500 grams;
- onions - 150 grams;
- garlic - 3 cloves;
- paprika - 2 tsp;
- black pepper to taste;
- salt to taste;
- vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. spoons;
- greens to taste, but the more the better.
Cooking
Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, then fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.
Throw chickpeas into the pan; fried onions with garlic nourish it with aromas.
Wash the eggplant and chop it into cubes with a face of 2 cm, then add to the peas.
Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Chop the tomatoes into cubes and add to the pan along with salt and spices. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of water there, mix, reduce heat to a minimum and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid closed, stirring occasionally.
Finely chop the herbs and garlic, add to the vegetables, mix again and remove the dish from the heat.
Let stand for 5-7 minutes, after which you can serve. This dish is highly dietary, since the calorie content of chickpeas, which is already low, is complemented by an abundance of vegetables that give the dish extra weight and volume. A plate of finished stew pulls a maximum of 250 - 300 kcal.
Hummus
There he is! Hummus is the most popular chickpea dish. And this is not an exaggeration. Homogeneous, buttery, with a light nutty taste, in the classic version it is served with boiled eggs, raw onions and warm white bread. A very rich, nutritious dish, but not the easiest for the stomach, so many replace eggs and onions with just vegetables, and take whole grain bread. If hummus is made less dense, then it can be used as a dip, dipping vegetables in it. The main recipe is as follows:
- boiled peas (canned chickpeas can be used) - 300 grams;
- sesame seeds - 30 grams;
- olive oil - 5 tbsp. spoons + to taste for decoration;
- garlic - 2 small cloves;
- lemon juice - 3 tbsp. spoons;
- cumin - a pinch;
- salt to taste.
First of all, in a dry frying pan, bake the cumin until a light aroma appears, then pour it into a coffee grinder and grind. It can also be done in a mortar.
Do the same with sesame seeds.
Grind olive oil, lemon juice, garlic in a blender until smooth.
Add cumin and sesame powder there, grind again until a homogeneous paste is obtained.
Throw the chickpeas into the blender without interrupting the grinding process.
To control the density, you can add chickpea broth or just water.
Salt the paste and try it. Add a little more oil or lemon juice if you wish. Put in a bowl, pour oil on top to taste.
That's all, hummus is ready, you can regale yourself. However, you need to be restrained in your desires. Despite the taste and benefits of the dish, the calorie content of chickpeas, multiplied by the abundance of oil, may not affect your figure in the best way. Measure should be in everything.