Fred's tips on chickpea
In a salad, mashed or grilled, we all love this legume. Source of fibers and vitamin B9, it is ideal to bring some crunch to your dishes, and successfully make a vegan chocolate mousse or hummus patties. Chickpeas is the number 1 legume against waste but also one for the most ideal ingredients to have a delicious sweet or savoury meal! Let us tell you more about Chefs’ tricks for kids and adults alike!
Fry the chickpeas’ skin to bring some crunch to your dishes
Who doesn’t like some crunch? Don’t hesitate to fry the chickpeas’ skin, it’s easy, nutritious and quick! You can add them in your salads or on top of a hummus - either fried or cooked in the oven. Add a drizzle of olive oil, some lemon, paprika (or other spices of your choice like cumin) to spice up an appetizer.
Foam the aquafaba into a beak like you would egg whites
Are you dreaming of a decadent chocolate mousse, pretty meringues, delicious macaroons or other eggless pastries? Friends that are vegan, allergic to eggs or simply culinary explorers, this trick is made for you! Don’t hesitate to use the juice in the chickpeas’ can also called aquafaba as an alternative to egg whites! When you drain them, keep the liquid in a salad bowl. The juice from red beans can also work but the ones from chickpeas will give you the best results! Once whipped energetically - and for a while! - the liquid abounds and hardens the same way egg whites do. If you prefer savoury dishes, use it to prepare a plant-based mayonnaise: emulsify it with some fat and something acidic (vinegar or lemon) using a hand-blender.
The added bonus is that chickpeas contain a large quantity of plant-based proteins in its juice, comparable to egg whites.
In patties or hummus, chickpeas shine
Chickpeas is also great within recipes! Chickpea patties or hummus, whichever you choose, it will be delicious. For patties, nothing simpler: mix your chickpeas with a bit of garlic, flour, cumin and a pinch of salt. Whisk your eggs into an omelet and add them to the mixture for a homogenous dough. Create the patties in a warm pan with a bit of olive oil and in a twist of the hand, it’s ready! Alternatively, you can never go wrong with hummus. Vegetarian friends, this legume is delicious in a cold salad as a rich plant-based protein. Furthermore, chickpeas go well with vegetables, roasted aubergines, carrots, mushrooms or a few slices of tomatoes. It is also ideal in couscous with a bit of coriander to add extra flavour. For lovers of Indian flavours, it can also be used to make a delicious curry, with fried onions, spinach and coconut milk, to be served on a bed of rice. And if its cooking time is long because it must be left to soak in water for at least 12 hours, it is better to cook it in a pressure cooker to save time... or simply use canned chickpeas: no need to cook!