Until now, many housewives do not know how and how long to soak chickpeas before cooking. After all, before he was a rare guest on the table of the Slavs. Our mothers and grandmothers mainly used other legumes for cooking: peas, beans, lentils. Chickpeas were popular in the Middle East. The fashion for proper nutrition has led to the fact that Turkish peas have entered the kitchens of Russians. For those who monitor their health and control their weight, it will be useful to learn how to soak and cook a valuable protein product.
Is it necessary to soak chickpeas before cooking?
Before cooking, chickpeas must be soaked. Even in recipes for oriental dishes, the list of ingredients sometimes directly states “soaked.”
During the soaking process, the beans absorb moisture and swell. Therefore, they require less time to boil. Not 1.5–2 hours, but 30–40 minutes. And the shorter the duration of heat treatment, the more vitamins and microelements are retained in the finished dish.
Unsoaked legumes, after boiling, turn out to be tough on the inside and soft on the outside. They look unsightly in salads and pilaf and are not suitable for making purees.
If chickpeas have been in storage for a long time and have dried out, then when cooked without pre-soaking, they will turn out tough and tasteless.
Chickpeas as a side dish
Compared to cereals, chickpeas always turn out crumbly. There are several ways to prepare chickpeas as a side dish.
One of them involves stewing beans in the oven. First, peeled and soaked chickpeas are brought to a boil on the stove, then the pan is placed in an oven preheated to 200 degrees, closing the container with a lid. The cooking time is exactly the same as on the stove. A side dish made this way turns out more crumbly.
If you need to cook chickpeas quickly, use a pressure cooker. The duration of the process is no more than 30 minutes.
General rules for soaking
Most housewives know how to soak cereals overnight: buckwheat, rice, pearl barley. But in the case of chickpeas, different rules apply. It is not advisable to leave it in water for longer than 5 hours. And there are two reasons for this:
- with prolonged soaking, the structure of vegetable protein changes, so the seeds turn out hard;
- Fermentation processes may begin and the product will become unfit for consumption.
The ideal soaking time is 3-4 hours. The seeds must first be cleaned of debris and washed under running water. You can leave the chickpeas overnight, for 7–8 hours, but then you won’t be able to boil them quickly.
If the apartment is hot, put the beans in the refrigerator.
What kind of water should you soak chickpeas in: cold or hot? Both extremes are harmful, as they lead to changes in the protein structure and product hardness. The water should be at room temperature. It is advisable to use settled, boiled or filtered water.
Chickpeas are poured with water in a ratio of 1:4. When soaked, the seeds almost double in volume. If there is not enough liquid, the beans will remain dry in the center and the cooking time will increase.
If you have hard water in your home or your chickpea seeds are too old, soak the chickpeas in baking soda. It softens the product and speeds up the cooking process. Just add no more than 0.5 teaspoon, otherwise the finished dish will have a specific taste.
Useful tips
- The optimal soaking time is 4 hours.
- If chickpeas are soaked in water for 4 hours, then a lot of protein is retained in it, if more than 8 hours, then more fiber.
- Soaked beans cannot be stored, as they quickly deteriorate and become covered with mucus.
- When cooking, the ratio of chickpeas and water should be as follows: 1 cup of beans to 4-4.5 cups of water.
- To completely avoid flatulence, change the water 2-3 times during the cooking process.
- Store dry peas away from herbs and spices, as they easily absorb foreign odors.
- Chickpeas take quite a long time to digest, which gives you a feeling of fullness, so you can eat them when losing weight.
Now you know how easy it is to boil chickpeas. It can be used for many dishes. Due to its neutral taste, it goes well with vegetables, meat, mushrooms and other foods. In addition, it absorbs other tastes and aromas well.
How to properly soak chickpeas for pilaf, soup and hummus
The rules described above work if a person is going to eat chickpeas as a main dish or use them as a side dish. What should those who are planning to cook pilaf, soup or hummus do?
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How to soak chickpeas for pilaf?
Do I need to pre-soak chickpeas for pilaf? Yes, but the seeds should be a little tough. After all, they are added to the zirvak at the very beginning, and then stewed for 45-60 minutes. If you use soft chickpeas, they will turn into mush during cooking.
There are two options for soaking chickpeas for pilaf.
- Standard – for 1–2 hours in water at room temperature.
- For a long time - from 12 hours to a day in cold water. The seeds will be larger than with short-term soaking, but will also have a dense structure. To prevent chickpeas from fermenting, place the container in a cool place (for example, a refrigerator) and change the water every 3-4 hours.
There should be 5–6 times more liquid than seeds. For 1 kg of meat, 700–800 g of rice and 150–200 g of chickpeas are required. You can salt the dish during the cooking process.
How to soak chickpeas for soup?
The time for soaking chickpeas for soup depends on the consistency of the finished dish. If you are going to make a thin soup, soak the seeds for 3-4 hours. Then boil for 40 minutes. Add the prepared chickpeas to the dish 10 minutes before the end of cooking.
To prepare the puree soup, soak the seeds for 4-5 hours in water at room temperature. Then cook for another hour.
How to soak chickpeas for hummus?
Hummus is a popular snack in the Middle East. The main ingredients are chickpea puree, sesame paste, vegetable oil and spices. Hummus is rich in plant proteins and Omega-3 fatty acids, so it is often used in vegetarian diets.
Typically, to prepare this dish, chickpeas are soaked overnight in water at room temperature. But 3–4 hours will be enough. Next, the chickpeas are cooked for 1–1.5 hours over high heat.
Press the boiled peas with your fingers. If it mashes easily into puree, it means it is suitable for making hummus.
Video instruction
Watch the video below, everything is explained in detail:
Chickpeas will help add variety to your usual dishes. In terms of the amount of protein, chickpeas are not inferior to meat, which makes them very attractive during fasting. Chickpeas can compete with vegetables, thanks to micro- and macroelements, as well as the fiber that is part of it. By following simple rules during soaking and cooking, you can not only prepare dishes with excellent taste, but also get the most out of the kernels.
How and how much to cook soaked chickpeas
There are differences in cooking chickpeas in a regular saucepan and a slow cooker. The general step is to drain the old water and rinse the seeds.
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In a saucepan
Pour clean water into the pan and add the soaked chickpeas. The liquid should cover the seeds by at least 3–4 cm. Bring the water to a boil, remove the foam and turn the heat to medium. Cover the pan with a lid. Boil the chickpeas for 30–40 minutes.
Salting chickpeas is allowed no earlier than 10 minutes before the end of cooking. Otherwise, the seed shell will remain strong.
In a slow cooker
Transfer the soaked and washed peas into the device and fill with water so that it covers them by 2-3 cm. Salt, you can add spices (for example, turmeric, red pepper, suneli hops). Set the multicooker to “Stew” mode. Cooking time – 50–60 minutes.
For soup
Let's try to prepare a rich, rich soup - with meat, vegetables, herbs. The main recipe is not important, we will only talk about how to deal with chickpeas. Housewives' actions vary depending on whether the legumes were kept in water. Let's look at both possible options.
Cooking chickpeas after soaking for soup is easier - they are softer and more pliable. Of course, soaking time is important: would you agree, there is a difference between three hours or ten hours?
- Place beans in saucepan;
- Fill with water to completely cover them;
- Place on the fire and wait forty minutes after boiling.
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This is the optimal indicator of how long you need to cook chickpeas - the fruits will become soft on the inside, but remain hard on the outside. This is necessary, since soon you will place them in the soup and finish cooking.
You can also cook the chickpeas without soaking them in the pan - the soup will still turn out great. In this case, the cooking time will have to be increased. It’s difficult to say the exact number; check the integrity of the beans with a fork. If they are easily pierced, then you can remove the pan from the heat.
If you decide to cook chickpea soup, do not cook it for more than ten to twenty minutes. Otherwise, you risk getting an unappetizing porridge, the spoon will literally stand still, and all the other ingredients will be “lost” in this mass.
Let's finish the soup and move on - let's try to cook delicious bean paste together. Do you like snacks and Israeli street food? Then we go to you!
Cooking chickpeas in a slow cooker
A multicooker is an excellent kitchen assistant for every housewife. You can also cook chickpeas in it, but there is one drawback - there is no way to check the readiness, because the program cannot be interrupted. But if you cook it for puree, then a slow cooker is an excellent solution for this dish. It is recommended to follow the sequence of steps:
- chickpeas are washed and filled with water;
- leave for four hours, changing the water several times;
- rinse the beans;
- put 400 ml of water into the thicket from under the multicooker and pour 400 ml of water per 100 grams of chickpeas;
- select the “stewing” or “cooking” mode for 40 minutes.
After turning off the program, if the chickpeas are not yet ready, leave until the beans have cooled completely.
Spicy Moroccan chickpea soup
It’s been a long time since we talked about original soup recipes, but the most healthy and nutritious soups are made with chickpeas. Prepare a spicy soup recipe from Moroccan cuisine!
You will need:
- Chickpeas, boiled in advance 600 g
- Olive oil 2 tbsp. l.
- Salt, pepper to taste
- Ground paprika 2 tbsp. l.
- Lemon juice 2 tbsp. l.
- Ground ginger 1 tsp.
- Cumin 1 tsp.
- Fresh chopped cilantro to taste
Cooking method:
Mix paprika, cumin, ginger and pepper together and crush, then heat the mixture in a dry frying pan and hold for no more than 1 minute.
Place chickpeas, olive oil and lemon juice in a blender bowl. Mix the ingredients to a paste. Season with salt and pepper, add the seasoning mixture and whisk again.
Pour the contents of a blender into a small saucepan and add water to achieve the desired consistency.
Heat the soup over moderate heat to your preferred temperature.
Serve immediately, garnishing with fresh cilantro if desired.
What are chickpeas and how are they useful?
Just like many legumes, chickpeas are an excellent dietary product.
By itself, it is quite high in calories (about 380 kcal per 100 g), which means it is very nutritious. It is a healthy source of healthy carbohydrates (60 g) and a storehouse of vegetable protein (20 g per 100 g of chickpeas). Turkish peas contain insoluble fibers that supply the body with energy and cleanse the intestines of waste and toxins.
Due to the fact that chickpeas are rich in B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and iron, as well as essential amino acids, they have a healing effect on the body. It improves metabolism, helps reduce blood cholesterol and strengthens the immune system.
Light summer salad with chickpeas, avocado and radishes
Another salad in our selection: this time we decided to prepare it with avocado, radishes and other summer products. Chickpeas are responsible for the protein and nutritional component, and the other ingredients perfectly complement it and create a very special taste.
You will need:
- Boiled chickpeas400 g
- Cucumber, randomly chopped 1 pc.
- Radishes, randomly chopped 6 pcs.
- Brussels sprouts8 pcs.
- Shredded feta cheese 3/4 tbsp.
- Apple cider vinegar 1/3 tbsp.
- Olive oil 2-3 tbsp. l.
- Salt, pepper to taste
- Avocado, randomly chopped 1 piece
- Pumpkin seeds to taste
- Honey to taste
Cooking method:
- With the cooked chickpeas, in a large salad bowl, toss the cucumber, radishes and Brussels sprouts with the chickpeas.
- Add crumbled feta cheese to bowl.
- Make the dressing: Mix olive oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper.
- Season the vegetables and chickpeas with the prepared sauce. Stir.
- Serve the salad garnished with avocado slices and pumpkin seeds.
Delicious chickpea cutlets
Turkish pea cutlets are vegetarian dishes made from chickpeas, which taste in no way inferior to meat products.
Ingredients:
- 215 g chickpeas;
- bulb;
- 1-2 cloves of garlic;
- 1 carrot;
- 55 sunflower oil;
- 3 g each of turmeric and cumin;
- 55 g flour.
Preparation:
- Boil the chickpeas until tender and cool.
- In a frying pan with butter, first fry finely chopped onion and garlic, and then add grated carrots to the vegetables.
- Pour the boiled chickpeas into a blender, add the stewed vegetables and all the spices, including salt and pepper, and beat until smooth.
- Add flour to the resulting minced peas, knead, make cutlets, bread in breadcrumbs and fry until golden brown.
- Serve with any vegetables.
Chickpea shakshuka
Shakshuka is a world-famous traditional Israeli dish. Prepare it with chickpeas - this version of shakshuka is perfect for a hearty and, at the same time, healthy lunch or dinner.
You will need:
- Olive oil 1 tbsp. l.
- Shallot, finely chopped 1/2 tbsp.
- Red bell pepper, randomly chopped 1 pc.
- Chopped garlic 3 cloves
- Tomato paste 120 g
- Maple syrup (can be replaced with brown sugar) 1 tbsp. l.
- Salt, pepper to taste
- Paprika2 tsp.
- Cumin 1 tsp
- Chili powder1 tsp.
- Olives, cut in half 6-8 pcs. (for serving)
- Lemon wedges for serving
- Chickpeas, pre-soaked for 24 or boiled 1 tbsp.
Cooking method:
In a deep frying pan, fry the peppers and garlic in heated olive oil.
Add tomato paste, sugar, salt, paprika, cumin, chili powder. Stir and cook to a paste-like consistency.
Reduce heat and add chickpeas and shallots. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes, checking the softness of the peas (they should be moderately soft).
Serve the finished dish with bread, tortillas or rice. Season it with olives, lemon wedges or fresh herbs (such as parsley) before serving.
