Chickpea (chickpea) belongs to plants of the legume family. It is widely used in cooking in the countries of the Middle East, and it is also loved by adherents of a healthy diet and vegetarians.
Chickpeas contain a lot of vegetable protein, it contains vitamins and minerals, and it is also a satisfying enough product that perfectly satisfies hunger. Falafel and hummus are some of the most popular snacks you can make with chickpeas.
Falafel
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dry chickpeas;
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 small onion;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 3 tbsp. tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice;
- 1 1/2 tbsp. tablespoons of wheat flour;
- 2 teaspoons of cumin;
- 1 teaspoon of ground coriander;
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper;
- a pinch of cardamom;
- vegetable oil for frying.
Preparation:
- Soak the chickpeas overnight. Rinse the peas in the morning. Put on fire and simmer until the peas are soft enough. Let the liquid drain.
- Place the chickpeas in the bowl of a hand blender, add the flour, lemon juice, chopped onion and garlic, and all the spices. Grind until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
- Place the mixture in a deep bowl or bowl with a lid, refrigerate for 60 minutes. Remove the chilled chickpea paste and mold the meatballs about the size of a walnut.
- Heat oil in a saucepan, place falafel and cook until golden brown. Place paper napkins on a platter and spread the finished falafel on top of them to absorb excess oil. Serve on succulent lettuce with yoghurt sauce.
Tip: if the base for the falafel falls apart and you cannot mold the meatballs, add 1 raw egg to the mass and beat again with a blender.
Falafel Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 glass of natural yogurt;
- 1-2 cloves of garlic;
- 1 tbsp. a spoonful of freshly squeezed lemon juice;
- salt pepper.
Preparation:
Peel the garlic, pass through a press. Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce with a blender until smooth. Place the sauce in a small bowl. Sprinkle paprika on top, if desired. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of chopped parsley to the sauce.
Hummus
Ingredients:
- 400 g dry chickpeas;
- 1/2 cup white raw sesame seeds
- 7-10 st. tablespoons of olive oil;
- 1 tbsp. spoon of cumin;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- juice of 1 lemon;
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- ground white pepper, salt.
Preparation:
- Cover the chickpeas with water and leave overnight. Add baking soda to the water on the tip of a knife. Rinse the peas, then change the water, salt and cook for 2-3 hours until the chickpeas are tender. Skim off the foam with a slotted spoon during cooking. Discard the chickpeas in a colander. Pour the broth into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Now prepare the tahini paste by grinding the sesame seeds and cumin. Squeeze out 1 tbsp. a spoonful of lemon juice, pour it over the sesame seeds. Peel the garlic and pass through the garlic press. Pour in some oil and add a pinch of ground white pepper. Stir until smooth.
- Pour the broth remaining from its preparation into the finished chickpea, observing a 1: 1 ratio. Use a hand blender to puree the peas. Stir in the turmeric, tahini paste, and all of the lemon juice. Gradually add the remaining olive oil while stirring the hummus constantly. Put the mixture in a dish and leave for an hour.
