basic chickpeas

Chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, along with beans, split beans and lentils – are loaded with protein, iron, and zinc, as well as fiber, folate, and potassium.  Soaking before cooking promotes easier digestion and nutrient assimilation.  The added salt enables the skins to soften more easily during cooking, ensuring a softer texture.  The trick to successful beans:  soak with salt, cook without salt.

Ingredients

2 cups dried chickpeas
2 tablespoon salt
2 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Place chickpeas in a large bowl with the salt, cover with triple the amount of water.  Soak for 12 hours and up to 24 hours.  For best results, change the soaking water, adding fresh water and salt halfway through soaking time.

2. Drain chickpeas, rinse, and drain again.  Place chickpeas in a cooking pot, cover with fresh water by two inches.  (do not add salt until at least halfway through cooking).  Cover, and bring to a boil.

3. Scrape off foam as it rises, boil uncovered for 15 minutes.  Cover, and simmer on low for 1 to 2 hours until chickpeas are tender.  Add salt during the last hour of cooking.  Cool before storing; store in cooking liquid – up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 6 months in the freezer.

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This recipe qualifies for the whole-food plant-based (WFPB) designation, meaning that it is made of only of whole plant foods and does not contain any extracted ingredients, such as sugar or oil, that would damage the body’s endothelium (the inner most lining of the arteries).