Hi everyone and thank you to Iwa for inviting me to post my
recipe for roasted chickpeas! My name is Meagan and I am studying Naturopathy
at Endeavour College of Natural Health. I am seriously addicted to chickpeas
and love having them in salads or hummus, but that can start getting a bit
boring after a while... This easy recipe is great for mixing up my chickpea
consumption, plus it’s a good alternative to nuts and is very transportable, so
something to pop in your handbag to keep the hunger pangs at bay. I like to
marinate my soaked chickpeas in a mixture of olive oil and warming spices such
as cumin, turmeric, coriander and cayenne, which gives it a bit of a Middle
Eastern flair. You could use just about any powdered spices/aromatics you like
– for example, if you used cumin, sesame seeds and lemon zest you would get a
deconstructed hummus!
Before I get started on the recipe, I would like to take a
moment to discuss the importance of soaking your grains and legumes.
The reasons why these foods should always be soaked before
cooking are to improve their digestibility, and to neutralise substances found
in grains and legumes that would inhibit the absorption of important minerals
such as magnesium and zinc. The phytates and enzyme inhibitors tend to draw
minerals from the body’s stores, plus the nutrients that the legume actually
contains is bound up in lots of fibre and starch that is very difficult to
digest. So, show your tummy some loving and make sure to soak your grains and
legumes from now on! Smaller grains and legumes such as lentils will only
require about 6-8 hours of soaking, while the more robust chickpea takes
between 12-18 hours. I also pop in a spoonful of bi-carb soda to the
soaking water, just to ensure all the phytates etc will completely break down.
And now, to the recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup dry chickpeas, soaked for up to 18 hours
- 1 dessert spoon bi-carb soda
- 1 – 2 tsp olive oil
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp cayenne, or to taste (can be omitted)
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Measure out dry chickpeas in a
jug, sprinkle on the bi-carb soda and pour in enough water to cover the
chickpeas by roughly an inch.
2. The next day, drain and rinse the
chickpeas thoroughly under running water. Mix the remaining ingredients
together in a small dish. Return chickpeas to the jug and pour over the
marinade. Cover and leave for at least 3 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
Spread the chickpeas evenly over a baking tray – try not to let any touch – and
cook for around 15 to 20 mins, or until golden. These do burn easily, so make
sure you stay close by while they are cooking, and if you hear any popping,
take them out immediately. Enjoy!
