Cooking Dried Chickpeas
Of all the legumes, chickpeas are my favorite. Tossed in a salad, roasted with olive oil and spices or combined with tahini, garlic and olive oil for traditional hummus, chickpeas offer tremendous versatility in the kitchen. They are also incredibly economical. Soaking them first makes them more digestible and easier on the gut.
Soaking dried chickpeas and cooking them from scratch sounds daunting, but it’s actually super simple. It takes only 30 minutes to cook if you soak them the night before. If I get behind in my food rhythm for the week, Eden’s are prepared traditionally by soaking first. They are a great option in a pinch.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas
4 cups water to soak and about the same to cook
Pinch of baking soda
Instructions:
In a large bowl, add the chickpeas, water and a the baking soda. Allow them to soak for 8-12 hours. I typically do this overnight and cook them in the morning. The longer you soak them, the shorter the cooking time. After soaking, strain the chickpeas and pick them over for any brown or discolored ones. Discard them. Add the chickpeas to a pot with water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes or until they are tender when biting into.
Enjoy!
Dr. Jane Litsey