Chickpea

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About Chickpea
Wikipedia Article About Chickpea on Wikipedia

The chickpea, chick pea, garbanzo bean, ceci bean, bengal gram or chana (Cicer arietinum), is an edible pulse of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae.

The plant is 20-50 cm high and has small feathery leaves on both sides of the stem. One seed-pod contains 2-3 peas. The flowers are white or reddish blue. Chickpeas need a subtropical or tropical climate and more than 400 mm annual rain. They can be grown in a temperate climate, but yields will be much lower.

Name variations

 * Garbanzo bean
 * Ceci bean
 * Bengal gram
 * Chana

Buying Chickpeas
Although Chickpea is one of the most popular vegetables used in different dishes, you can get it for a very reasonable price. If you are cooking for a large family, you will want to purchase larger quantities of Chickpea and store them properly. The cost of this vegetable varies depending on many different factors, such as marketplace location, local competition, type of Chickpea that you want to purchase and so on. An older Chickpea will most likely cost less than a freshly picked one, but this also depends on where you buy it from, as some stores might not differentiate their vegetables like this.

Preparing Chickpeas
With an ever-increasing speed of life, cooking times are now more important than ever. Cooking Chickpea is fast and easy, thus recommending this vegetable as a good first choice for many meals. When cooking this vegetable you should try and slice it up, so that you diminish cooking time even further. Most dishes using Chickpea require you to prepare it before starting the dish, but only call for cooking it for a short time. Sine this vegetable cooks so quickly, it’s a good idea to supervise it closely so that it doesn’t get overcooked.

Cooking Chickpeas
Chickpea is often one of the main ingredients used in many vegetable dishes. Traditional cooking recipes from all over the world have a special place devoted for just Chickpea. From soups, appetizers and delicious salads, this vegetable is also used in stews and as a side. Cooking Chickpea is easy and rewarding, since this vegetable has a high nutritional value. In most cases, eating this vegetable raw or cooking it very lightly is the best way to preserve the enzymes and vitamins contained within. Micro-waving is also quite popular, but studies have shown that a large proportion of the vitamins are lost during this process. Since Chickpea is quick to cook and requires very little preparation, many chefs favor it as one of the main vegetables of any dish they create.


 * Stir-frying Chickpea
 * Steaming Chickpea
 * Boiling Chickpea
 * Pan-Frying Chickpea
 * Roasting Chickpea
 * Stewing Chickpea

There are so many ways in which you can use Chickpea. Cook it in soups, chop it up and toss it in salads or use it as a side dish for different meat dishes. The list of Chickpea recipes is almost endless, mainly because this is a very popular vegetable in many countries and chefs are always coming up with innovative ways of preparing Chickpea. Many vegetarian menus place Chickpea within the top ten plants, but this nutritious vegetable is also used in many meat-based dishes.

Salads
If there is a modern favorite vegetable that you can use in salads it has to be Chickpea. This tasty and highly nutritious plant offers a perfect blend of taste, density and shape for any salad. Use it in strictly vegetarian dishes and salads or mix it up with fish or different dressings and sauces for an unforgettable taste.

Side Dishes
Although Chickpea has all the main qualities to become the “attraction” of the table, it is often used as a side dish. Many popular side dish recipes include Chickpea on their ingredient list, as this vegetable offers the right mix of taste and visual elements. Meat is often accompanied by Chickpea, as this creates and excellent balance from many point of view. From a nutritional point of view, Chickpea is a perfect complementary element for all sorts of meat, as it offers vitamins and soluble fibers. Using Chickpea in side dish recipes is also recommended because it aids digestion and makes even a heavier meal feel light.

Soups
Together with different other vegetables, Chickpea is one of the main ingredients of several tasty soups that are enjoyed all over the world. Since Chickpea takes a short time to cook, it’s a favorite vegetable ingredient for many cooks and professional chefs. In many recipes you will notice that the Chickpea is only added towards the end of the preparation time – this is because it cooks rapidly and adding it late enables it to keep most of its nutritious elements. Often combined with chopped and minced veggies, Chickpea may be used in different shapes as part of a soup.

Chickpea Recipes
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