Have you ever used dried chickpeas with the skin on?

[Brilliant]

I bought a 5# sack of organic chickpeas from a co-op. Imagine my surprise when I opened the bag to find tiny (less than half the size of what I'm used to), reddish-brown balls. At first I thought they were a different color than normal, but I discovered the color is because they have a skin on them. I soaked for a full day and then cooked in my pressure cooker, wondering if (hoping) the skins would fall off. They didn't - most are still firmly attached. I had planned on using these for hummus, but I don't think that would work now. I'm not even sure I want to try them in my favorite chickpea stew recipe.

 

Help! What am I supposed to do with these?

[Oakblossoms]

That is strange. Did you contact the co-op?

[Oakblossoms]

I found info on google. I guess there are several kinds on chickpeas. The darker the color the better they are for you. Is it a hrd coating or just normal bean skin. It's probably fine to eat.

[Brilliant]

I found info on google.

 

Good idea. :) I had searched on "chickpeas" and didn't come up with anything, so I just went back and searched on "chickpeas with skin". It looks like they are edible, but some don't like the texture, AND they have a more gas-producing effect than peas without the skin. Bummer. I don't have time or inclination to rub the skin off as some people do. I guess I'll send some through the food processor to see what kind of hummus they make.

[Amira]

I've always read you should rub the skins off the tiny garbanzo beans. But I've never been fortunate enough to find them, so I don't have any personal experience.

 

An easier way to rub the skins off is to dump the cooked beans in a large bowl of water and rub them under the water. The skins will float to the top and you can just skim them off.

[Brilliant]

I decided to try to rub the skins off because I tried eating a few with the skins and they were yuck.

 

I put on an audiobook and sat at the kitchen counter for 20 minutes. I got a huge bowl of 1/2 cup! :001_huh:

 

I tossed the unpeeled ones, and am adding my little 1/2 cup to a curry dish tonight. Before I throw away the rest of the dried bag, I'll ask around to see if any of my friends want them.

[Spy Car]

What you have, I believe, are the Indian form of chickpeas known as Desi or Kala Chana. Often in Indian cuisine they are de-skinned and split and called Chana Dal or Bengal Gram. They are about the most important "bean" in Indian cuisine.

 

They are good whole too, just not as ideal for things like hummus as European style "garbanzo beans" with which they are closely related due to the high skin to flesh ratio.

 

They are good heavily spiced, and it dishes where the heavy texture of the skin adds a pleasant rusticity.

 

Another way they are really good (and try this before you dispose of them) is to boil a small quantity is salted water. Not too long...maybe 25 minutes or so. Then pan roast them in a dry cast iron skillet. Keep them moving to prevent burning. Then let cool and eat as a snack. Kind of like peanuts.

 

If you do want to de-skin chickpeas, the easy way is to put a big pot with the bean in a sink. Fill the pot with water while rubbing the fully cooked chickpeas between open hands with the water running gently from the faucet. The water running over the pot lip will carry the skins over the side and it makes for pretty fast work.

 

Bill

[MeaganS]

I second roasting them. That is one of our favorite snacks. Except we coat them in olive oil and roast them on a cookie sheet in the oven for 30 minutes or so.

[Spy Car]

I second roasting them. That is one of our favorite snacks. Except we coat them in olive oil and roast them on a cookie sheet in the oven for 30 minutes or so.

 

I've never tried them this, but sounds like it's worth a shot. Do you boil or soak the kala chana prior to roasting?

 

Bill