Chickpea

About

There are two main chickpea types: kabuli, large, pale, and thin-skinned, and desi, smaller and brown or black, also known as Bengal gram; split and skinned desi chickpeas become chana dal, resembling small yellow split peas. Desi chickpeas have a more mineral tang than the milder, nuttier kabuli, making them better suited to dal, though grinding both into flour largely erases the difference: desi flour is called besan or gram flour, while kabuli flour is usually just labeled chickpea flour. Both types share lentils' affinity for sour, spicy pairings. Roasted chickpeas, salted or unsalted, are a popular snack in India.

Pairs well with chickpea

• CiLemonFresh chickpeas grow in pairs inside green pods and are edible, though usually dried instead since their raw flavor is faint and grassy.
• EaPotatoPanelle and cazzilli are Sicilian fried street snacks, panelle a set, sliced and fried chickpea batter, cazzilli a thin potato croquette,…
• SuEggLablabi, Tunisia's national dish, is chickpeas in hot broth with a raw egg cracked in to poach, the broth typically flavored with cumin,…
• CrCoconutChickpea's nutty flavor blends smoothly with coconut's sweetness, the two often hard to distinguish in combination - used in fudge-like…
• GrAvocadoChickpea's mild flavor is easily overwhelmed by strong ingredients; avocado, similarly mild, pairs well as long as the texture of at least…
• EaCuminCooked chickpeas can taste close to boiled eggs, which invites the seasonings typically paired with egg.
• RoSesameHummus recipes vary widely, from an unconventional sesame-oil version in place of tahini to the classic approach, where the real key to…
• SpPeppercornBlack pepper is often all chickpea needs.
• CrRaisinDark, chewy raisins, likely untreated with the sulfur dioxide that otherwise lightens and softens dried fruit, carry a balance of sourness…
• GrParsleyParsley's freshness offsets chickpea's dryness.
• GrChileChickpea (gram) flour is the base for bhajis and pakoras, mixed with chili powder, turmeric, and sometimes finely chopped fresh chilies,…
• CrPruneSaloradshrov siserapur, an Armenian soup, blends cooked chickpeas, part pressed through a strainer, with soaked, chopped prunes, dill and…
• WoCashewSubstituting raw cashew butter for most of the tahini in hummus produces a milder result that lacks sesame's earthy depth.
• EaFava beanThe two meet in dobara, an Algerian stew of dried chickpeas and fresh fava beans with tomato, garlic, chiles and spices such as cumin,…
• SpFenugreekThe pairing appears in a fiery Gujarati pickle where whole, unsoaked-but-softened chickpeas keep a slight crunch amid fenugreek seeds,…
• GrSpinachGarbanzos con espinacas, a tapas-bar classic rooted in Lenten cooking, pairs chickpeas and spinach, though the dish benefits from added…
• GrLettuceChickpea's nutty, pea-like flavor pairs naturally with lettuce, echoing the classic combination of peas and lettuce.
• CiTurmericA reliable pairing in Indian dishes, tagines and pilafs, though whole chickpeas absorb flavor poorly; split chickpeas like chana dal take…
• FrYogurtChickpea flour and yogurt combine in several Indian dishes: khaman dhokla, a steamed savory sponge cake topped with a fried cumin-mustard…
• WoWhole grain riceRiso e ceci, a Piedmontese dish of rice and chickpeas seasoned with spiced tomato sauce, is rustic mountain fare that tastes bland without…
• FrPomegranatePomegranate supplies the sourness chickpea lacks, and its faintly savory fruitiness makes the match distinctive.
• GrOkraOkra can be stuffed with spiced chickpea flour, a fiddly process traditionally done without scraping out the ribs and seeds first.
• MuTurnipPink pickled turnip, colored and given a hint of earthy sweetness by beets, is a classic accompaniment to chickpea dishes like falafel,…
• GrZucchiniZucchini, often considered bland on its own, gains flavor when paired with chickpea, particularly in fritters made with chickpea-flour…