We all know of chickpeas (or garbanzo beans) dried and canned. However… how about fresh green chickpeas??
After hearing my market had gotten a case of these little green fellows yesterday, I had to investigate. I love it when something comes back into season, or if you get really lucky like this, you get something new. I was anxious to get right to it.
Fresh Chickpeas in the Pod
The Chickpeas arrive in small little pods, containing 1-2 green edamame colored peas. Although easy to shell, I will admit, doing so was not all that fun. On the bright side, you can make it a real family affair and catch up with each other’s day. Plus, these really are well worth the effort.
Shelled Fresh Chickpeas
You are probably wondering “what is the difference from the Canned and dried versions?
Fresh green chickpeas are harvested when they are immature. The canned and dried relatives are left to dry on the plant, in the pods. Fresh chickpeas are also higher in nutrients. These jolly green midgets are low in fat, high in protein and full of flavor; buttery, slightly nutty and a tad sweet. The simplest way to prepare the peas are to blanch them in salted, boiling water for about 3-4 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. Then, drain and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper and some lime juice or wine vinegar. Enjoy them as is, or toss them into some other veggie dishes.
You can treat the chickpeas much as you would fresh peas. You can even enjoy them the way you would edamame: Pan roast the chickpeas (in their pod) until warmed through, drizzle with olive, lime juice and sprinkle with coarse or flaky sea salt; then put to use your fingers and teeth. The first preparation I worked out was a “fresh” (yes…pun intended) take on an old classic: Fresh Chickpea Hummus. Looked a lot like guacamole, but tasted like hummus, a real tromp l’oeil.
- Fresh Chickpea Hummus
The Fresh chickpea season is a short one, and the options are only limited to what you can think of. Come to the Market, grab and handful and get busy!
