Post Punk Kitchen Forum

so, I bought a bag of chickpeas for the first time (I usually buy canned).

What would you recommend as the best recipe to feature home-cooked chickpeas? Are there any good ones that flavor the chickpeas as they cook?

Any tips for success (I don't own a slow or pressure cooker)?

Oh home-cooked chickpeas are the best. I think the ones in the cans are a bit softer. You do not need a slow cooker or pressure cooker for dried chickpeas either. I put mine in water and soak overnight. Then I wash them and cook and the cooking time is very quick - usually less than 1 hr. I add a bay leaf and pinch of salt. Be sure to skim off the foam during the cooking also.

So many recipes but I always go for a full out chickpea meal. This one is great:
http://www.theppk.com/2011/08/chana-masala/

There is a great recipe for Jerk Chickpeas in Let them Eat Vegan and Chickpeas Romesco in Veganomicon. Of course, you can't go wrong with the Chickpea Cutlets and any hummus recipe in AFR.

Soak the chickpeas in plenty of salted water at least overnight (I often soak for a full day) and pour away the soaking water. Ignore anyone who insists salting the water before the chickpeas are done will prevent them from softening. They will taste much better with the salt. Don't add anything acidic until the end though, especially if your tap water is on the hard side. A pinch of baking soda may help with stubborn beans that won't soften. I personally make big batches in my pressure cooker and throw whatever I don't end up using right away in the freezer in 1.5 cup batches, since beans in general freeze very well.

I soak chickpeas or any other beans without salt for a couple hours in warm water and then drain, re-fill and simmer for what usually ends up being 30 minutes or so until they're done. Usually works like a charm! I also try and make extra to put in the freezer in 1.5 cup amounts.

I don't have any favorite recipes that cook the chickpeas as the rest of the recipe is cooking, but I do like to cook big batches on the stove and add them to dishes. I really like the "Chickpeas Picatta" recipe from AFR because it's delicious and super-easy. Anyway, as Chipmunk suggested, freezing them in 1.5 cup batches (or whatever amount you use frequently) is a good idea if you cook a ton of beans and don't think you'll use them all ASAP. Then you can just take them out as needed and it's all super-easy.

Anyway, how I cook mine: First, I soak them for several hours at room temperature. If you can soak for at least 8 hours that's the best, but I would say a minimum of four hours really helps. Chipmunk's advice about adding a pinch of baking soda for "tough" beans is also spot-on, though I haven't found it necessary for every batch and you'll want to drain off the baking soda water before you cook them. I don't salt my water, but that's just personal preference. Anyway, after they've soaked I drain and replace the water, add a couple of bay leaves and simmer until they're done. Super-easy!

I love to cook a big batch of chickpeas and refrigerate/freeze them in 1 and a 1/2 cup batches, around the size of what comes out of a can.

I really don't like the taste of the broth/liquid that they cook in, as they cook in it, so I would definitely not want to eat a dish prepared while they were cooking - for best taste, I think it's really important to rinse and rinse and rinse them afterwards to get that "beany" taste off. I use a pressure cooker so I'm not the best for cooking advice! I *really* like to salt the water, otherwise the dishes I'm using them in always seem to be missing something - it reminds me of how those tomatoes in cans without salt can ruin the whole dish, because they never seem to taste right..

thanks all!