CHICKPEAS (HUMMUS, CHANA MASALA, MERINGUES, COOKIES)

This week, we're headed into the canned goods aisle for some shelf-stable supper (and dessert!) by virtue of your pantry's resident weirdo, the chickpea. From snacks to dinner to dessert, this is a protein-packed, nutritious, versatile little...bean? Legume? What exactly is it? [Googles furiously] It's a legume.

Special Equipment List

Food processor

Ingredients

Hummus

  • 1 can chickpeas

  • ½ cup water 

  • ½ cup olive oil 

  • ½ cup tahini 

  • 1 ½ lemons, juiced (substitute: 1 ½ Tbsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

  • 3 cloves garlic (substitute: 1 tsp dried garlic)

  • ¾ tsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp ground cumin

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

  • 1 can chickpeas

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

  • Kosher salt

  • Seasoning of choice (like curry powder)

Chana Masala

  • 2 Tbsp olive oil

  • 1 small onion 

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • ½ tsp ground ginger

  • ½ tsp ground turmeric

  • ½ tsp ground cardamom 

  • 1 tsp ground coriander 

  • 1 tsp tomato paste

  • ½ can diced green chilis

  • 1 Tbsp ground garam masala

  • 14 oz can crushed tomatoes

  • 1 can garbanzo beans

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • Long grain white rice, for serving

Meringues

  • Liquid from 1 can chickpeas (aquafaba)

  • ⅔ cup sugar

Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • ¼ cup aquafaba

  • ½ cup white sugar

  • ½ cup brown sugar

  • ½ cup vegetable oil 

  • 1 tsp baking soda

  • ¾ tsp kosher salt

  • 2 cups (9 ounces) all purpose flour

  • 5 ounces chopped chocolate

  • **For chewier cookies, add an extra ¼ cup of aquafaba and extra ¼ cup of vegetable oil to step 1.


Method

Hummus

  1. Start by draining and drying 1 can of chickpeas. Keep the liquid in a separate bowl to use for other recipes. Place chickpeas into a food processor along with ½ cup each of water, olive oil and tahini. 

  2. Squeeze in the juice of 1 ½ lemons (or substitute) into the food processor bowl with 3 pressed cloves of garlic (or 1 tsp of dried garlic), ¾ tsp of kosher salt and 1 tsp ground cumin. 

  3. Press go and process for about 30 seconds, until completely smooth. At this point would be the time to add any flavoring like roasted red pepper, garlic, etc. 

  4. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about 1 hour before serving.

Crispy Roasted Chickpeas

  1. Start by draining, rinsing thoroughly, and drying 1 can of chickpeas. Keep the liquid (aquafaba) for another recipe! Spread chickpeas out on a parchment sheet on a rimmed baking sheet. Optionally, pick off any chickpea skin.

  2. To prep for the oven, drizzle them with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and cover them with a sprinkle of kosher salt. Roll them around to coat evenly. Place into a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes. 

  3. Once golden brown and crispy, remove from the oven and season with your choice of seasoning.

Chana Masala

  1. In a wide saucepan heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add a small minced onion and sweat for about 2 minutes before adding 2 cloves of crushed garlic. 

  2. Add a few sprinkles of spices: about a ½ tsp of ground ginger, ground turmeric, ground cardamom,  1 tsp ground coriander seed and 1 Tbsp of tomato paste. Cook together over medium heat for about a minute or until fragrant.

  3. Then add ½ small can of diced green chilis, 1 Tbsp of ground garam masala, 14 oz can crushed tomatoes, and 1 can of drained garbanzo beans. Let stew for 10-15 minutes, or until the garbanzo beans are tender and the gravy has thickened to a stew. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. 

  4. Once seasoned to your liking, serve over long grain white rice and top with cilantro.

Meringues

  1. Start by dumping 1 can of garbanzo bean liquid (aquafaba) into a mixing bowl. Use the wire whisk to beat it as you would egg whites - on high speed for about 10-15 minutes, until fluffy and stiff peaked. 

  2. At this point ,slowly spoon in ⅔ cup of sugar, letting each spoonful incorporate before adding the next and allowing the aquafaba to become thick and glossy. 

  3. Place the fluff into a piping bag and pipe into little meringue kisses and bake in a 200°F oven for 1 ½  hours for chewy meringues, or 2 hours for more crispy ones.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Start by dumping ¼ cup of aquafaba into a mixing bowl. Use the wire whisk to beat it as you would egg whites - on high speed. Slowly add ½ cup of white sugar, ½ cup of brown sugar, and ½ cup of vegetable oil until fully incorporated. 

  2. In a separate bowl, combine 1 tsp of baking soda and ¾ tsp of kosher salt with 2 cups of all purpose flour. Whisk together then add to the mixing bowl with other ingredients.

  3. Paddle everything until they just come together, at which point add in the desired toppings. Give one last mix with a spoon before adding any toppings. 

  4. Chop up about 5 ounces of chocolate and add to the mixture. Mix together by hand to ensure even mixing. 

  5. On a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, place cookie dough balls a few inches apart. Bake in a 350°F oven for 10-15 minutes, until lightly brown.

  6. Place onto a wire rack to cool before eating. 

  7. For more chewy cookies, add an extra ¼ cup of vegetable oil and aquafaba to step 1 and freeze the finished cookie dough for 1 hour before baking.  

 
Emilija Saxechickpeas, chana masala, hummus