Chickpeas and green lentils

Trow · 12 March 2005 at 10:30AM

Two questions:

I have discovered a BIG (3kg) unopened bag of dried chickpeas lurking. I am soaking them now with a view to using them tomorrow - but my other half has just said 'You can't possibly use them' because they are 3 years out of date. I suspect they will need a bit more soaking and cooking but they will be fine - any opinions?

Also - I have a smaller bag (500g) of green lentils (thankfully not 3 years out of date

) I know I bought them for a reason but I have no idea what - anyone have any tried and tested recipes? I have been looking in my recipe books and online but haven't been particularly inspired.

Thanks

moggins · 12 March 2005 at 2:55PM

I've been reading up in my Paupers Cookbook and I don't think you'll be able to use the chickpeas as apparently if they are that old it doesn't matter how long you boil them for, they will never go soft but it might be worth experimenting with one small batch just to find out?

What are you going to use them for? I could do with some decent chickpea recipes as I have 6 cans in my cupboard that someone gave me and I can't work out what to do with them.

Nasnowt · 12 March 2005 at 3:15PM

Try boiling up rinsed green lentils for 10 mins. Drain

In the meantime brown a chopped onion
Add roughly chopped carrot (largish pieces)
Add roughly chopped courgette (largish pieces)
chopped chilli or perrers to your taste
garlic to your taste
add about 1/2 pint of stock
Add lentils
Cook for 10 mins, or until vegetables are just done.
gently stir in 1 carton of coconut cream
Remove from heat
Add spinach leaves
Add chopped corriander
cover until spinach is wilted.

Goes really well with quorn fillets
or quorn pieces can be added for a one pot meal.

Goes even further if brown rice is also served.

tiff · 12 March 2005 at 3:33PM

moggins wrote:

I've been reading up in my Paupers Cookbook and I don't think you'll be able to use the chickpeas as apparently if they are that old it doesn't matter how long you boil them for, they will never go soft but it might be worth experimenting with one small batch just to find out?

What are you going to use them for? I could do with some decent chickpea recipes as I have 6 cans in my cupboard that someone gave me and I can't work out what to do with them.

Try making houmus, if you like it. Also chick pea and potato curry is nice, there is a recipe in this forum somewhere. You could also add them to a vegetable curry. This Moroccan chick pea stew recipe was sent to me from Animal Aid.

500g cous cous - follow cooking instructions on packet
1 x 410g tin chickpeas - drained and rinsed
1 large red onion - finely chopped
1 head of broccoli - cut into small florets
75g cherry tomatoes - cut in half
75g fresh french beans - cut in half
75g baby corn
fresh chillies, to taste - chopped finely
3 cloves garlic - peeled and crushed
2.5cm piece fresh ginger - grated
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbso ground coriander
1 tbsp olive oil
1 veggie stock cube dissolved in 500ml water
handful fresh coriander - chopped

In a large wok or saucepan heat the oil and cook onion for 2 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, garlic and chilli. Stir over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes: make sure it does not burn. Turn down heat and add the stock, chickpeas and grated ginger. Stir and cover, cook over a low heat for 10 minutes. Now add the florets of broccoli, beans, tomatoes and baby corn and stir mixture. Cook covered until vegetables are heated through and soft enough for indiviual taste. When cooked, garnish with coriander and serve with cous cous.

moggins · 12 March 2005 at 3:41PM

Thanks tiff, that sounds lovely

Trow · 12 March 2005 at 5:30PM

Ooh nasnowt I like the sound of that! I'll have to wait till next week so I can get some coconut cream.

Moggins - I use chickpeas in felafel mainly - little chickpea burgers flavoured with cumin and coriander and served in pitta bread with salad and chilli sauce. I also pop them in curries and morroccan cous cous type recipes and, as Tiff says, Houmus.

Ted_Hutchinson · 12 March 2005 at 6:29PM

Trow wrote:

Two questions:

I have discovered a BIG (3kg) unopened bag of dried chickpeas lurking. I am soaking them now with a view to using them tomorrow - but my other half has just said 'You can't possibly use them' because they are 3 years out of date. I suspect they will need a bit more soaking and cooking but they will be fine - any opinions?

Also - I have a smaller bag (500g) of green lentils (thankfully not 3 years out of date ) I know I bought them for a reason but I have no idea what - anyone have any tried and tested recipes? I have been looking in my recipe books and online but haven't been particularly inspired.

Thanks

I'm using considerably (2001) out of date chick peas without any problems. I leave them soaking overnight rather than just boil up and leave in boiled water for an hour but I haven't found they need any longer cooking than the usual 15 minutes in the pressure cooker.

crana999 · 12 March 2005 at 7:04PM

My friend's top recipe for green lentils. He makes it with canned ones so I'd soak and cook yours first, then follow this:

Heat some oil in a pain. Gently fry an onion and some chopped chillis (ones from a jar are fine). Add a tin of chopped tomatoes and the lentils and simmer until the lentils taste good and the sauce is the right consistency.

Cook pasta (wholemeal is extra tasty) and pour the sauce over, then sprinkle on grated cheese. Serve as it is, or it is also nice made as a pasta bake.

Noozan · 12 March 2005 at 7:20PM

Chickpea cakes .Cook chickpeas until tender. Blitz briefly in food processor (or just bash!) with handful of fresh corainder, a lime leaf or squeeze of lime (or lemon), pinch of cumin, coriander and chilli powder, fresh chilli too if you have it. Don't blitz for too long though - it's nice to keep some of it fairly whole for texture. Shape into little patties. Dust with gram flour (or plain flour) and fry gently. Serve with salad and chilli dipping sauce.

Sweet and sour chickpeas .Fry finely diced onion, add cooked and drained chickpeas. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup white vineger, good squeeze of ketchup, splash of worcester sauce. Simmer for 5 mins. Add sugar to balance taste. Thicken with cornflour (add cornflour to a bit of cold water first). Serve with chappati type bread. I make my own by mixing plain flour with enough cold water to give a dough. Take small piece and bash or roll out. Heat small frying pan, add tiny drip of oil and cook dough for 1 min per side, until it puffs up.

Chickpea and carrot soup. .Fry finely diced onion. Add diced carrots, chickpeas, veg stock, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Simmer. Blitz. Add touch of cream if you like.

Nasnowt · 12 March 2005 at 8:39PM

Thanks Noozan, these sound great

Chickenlady_4 · 12 March 2005 at 11:41PM

I used some very old aduki beans the other day and they just wouldn't get soft! I have a lovely recipe for red dragon pie, but sadly it wasn't lovely this time...

Chick peas are so cheap, personally I don't know that I would bother with your antique ones (I know, I am new to being frugal!!!)

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Chickpeas and green lentils

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