chickpeas

annie-c

BASIL wrote:

ok - can of chick peas, can of kidney beans, 1 grated onion, 1 or 2 grated large carrots, table spoonof tahini ( not ssential) salt and pepper - spices if wanted - just chuck in anything! blend well but leave 'rustic' read lumpy! roll out into little patties and bake in oven until goldenishin colour ( ala gillian mckeith) brilliant cold with tomato sauce !

Mmm, I made this for tea tonight and I have loads left over! Was very lovely, but a little bland (until I added tomato chutney), because I didn't have a clue what to add in the way of spices - any suggestions anyone?

Chell

annie-c wrote:

Mmm, I made this for tea tonight and I have loads left over! Was very lovely, but a little bland (until I added tomato chutney), because I didn't have a clue what to add in the way of spices - any suggestions anyone?

I was going to use cumin, chilli and maybe corriander. I would think a bit of lemon or lime juice would be nice also.

oakdale_minx

I adore chickpeas and use them in lots of recipes.

But, I always use the tinned ones and want to use up a bag of dried ones sitting at the back of the cupboard. i've tried using dried ones before but, no matter how long I soak them or how long I cok them, they never seem to soften as much as tinned ones.

Has anybody got any tips on how to soften them? I thought about putting them in the slow cooker all day??

annie-c

I've had no problems when following the soaking/boiling/simmering instructions on the pack.

I've heard that you must NOT add salt during cooking though (add at the end if you want). Salt used in cooking tends to harden them somehow.

Softstuff

Well, I never had a problem with mine, and this is how I did them:
chickpeas, in a pan, fill it with boiling water, pop the lid on, leave overnight, bring to the boil in the morning, leave to soak, use in the evening.

Ted_Hutchinson

I find Miss Vickie's pressure cooking instructions work fine. I've never had any problems and I've sometimes used beans which are really past their use by date.

If I didn't have a pressure cooker I think the soaking time before cooking would best be overnight to be sure of getting them reasonably well cooked.

Quasar

I soak them for a couple of hours, adding 1/4 teaspoon of bicarbonate. Then boil them. Works a treat.

Lately, though, I've been soaking them for longer than that - about 4 hours - then I leave them and after 6-8 hours I rinse them as if to sprout them, and cook them when just a hint of a sprout appears. In this way, they are still just chickpeas, but with a higher vitamin and protein component.

Beckipeg

We soak them during the day, then bring to boil and ... yes we really do put them in the slow cooker overnight. Or, soak overnight, bring to boil and slow cook during the day depending on when I want to use them. Great to nibble freshly cooked, or freeze and use later in other recipes.

mossstar

I do this too - soak overnight and then pop them in the slow cooker during the day - i've even managed to OVER cook them using this method! :rolleyes:

I used to use the pressure cooker, but tbh i find the slow cooker much less 'stressful' and easier to accomodate in my addled brain :rotfl:

Steph

ps i find that one cup of dried chickpeas (american cup) is still more than a tin - it's SO much cheaper to use dried!

oakdale_minx

many thanks - I'll pop them in the SC. I like them 'tin soft' if you know what I mean.

I'll make a big batch of hummus if they don't soften enough for the curry I'm doing tonight - although I'm very very tempted to have a go a the chick pea cake I saw on the board!