For too long, the chickpea languished in a ghetto of 70s wholefood cliches, associated with student thrift and earth mothers knitting their own yoghurt – somewhere between virtuous and ridiculous and a long, long way from delicious. It's hardly surprising. Their beige colour meant they went with everything, from hessian wall coverings and home-woven hemp shirts to the ubiquitous sisal matting. For years, they were served with a side order of worthy, too – never a winner when it comes to wooing self-regarding palates.
Then our passion for Spanish and Middle Eastern food gave the legume a leg-up in our affections. I discovered a new-found respect for these tawny pulses when Iordered a dish of garbanzos con tripas y chorizo in a restaurant in Majorca sometime in the early 90s. That's chickpeas with tripe and chorizo, a gorgeous dish that I've made many times since.
And thank goodness for my conversion. Chickpeas are cheap, packed with protein and brilliant at soaking up strong flavours. I'm a passionate devotee of the chickpea renaissance – I probably have them tossed in a salad or stirred into a stew and, yes, whizzed into hummus (which, incidentally, means chickpea in Arabic) at some point every week. And they supported me like adependable old friend through my meat- and fish-free summer.
So I always have a few bags in the cupboard, as well asthe odd tin or, even better, jar of cooked chickpeas so I can rustle up atasty snack or dinner. When you're buying dried ones, look out for a shop with a high turnover – chickpeas that have been hanging around for a few years will never reach the desirable state of tenderness, no matter how long you soak or simmer them. And when buying the tinned or bottled kind, make sure they're preserved only in salt and water.
When you're cooking your own, soak them overnight in a generous amount of cold water. Next day, drain and put them in a large pan with fresh water (don't add salt at this stage, as it makes the skins tough) and bring to a simmer, skimming off any scum that rises to the top. Cook for about two hours, until they're very soft, then leave to cool in the cooking water – they'll continue to swell a bit and become ever more tender. They're now ready to add to other dishes or to enjoy just as they are, still warm, tossed in a little olive oil, a squeeze of lemon, some chopped parsley, flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Once your chickpeas are cooked, the possibilities are limitless. Add them to couscous salads or to a spicy, tomato-y pasta sauce. Toss them into a pan of fried squid and/or chorizo, or cook them up into a tangy chana masala. Stir them into tagines or spicy stews, or mix them with roasted vegetables.
Once you've experimented with the pulses, you might want to try the flour, too. Chickpea flour – also called besan or gram flour – makes a very good batter for pancakes (see recipe) and pakora-style fritters. It's also a good alternative to plain flour for dusting on fish before you fry it, or for tossing a light coating over par-boiled potatoes before roasting, adding its own distinctive, nutty flavour to the end result.
So here's a stack of my chickpea favourites, just pulsating with goodness, taste and texture.
Chickpea stew with lamb meatballs
A great, spicy stew for a chilly day. Serves four to six.
For the meatballs
400g minced lamb
1 small onion, peeled and grated
30g fresh white breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 egg yolk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
For the stew
2 onions, peeled and finely diced
2 bay leaves
2 thyme sprigs
5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 small red chilli, membrane and seeds removed, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 400g tin plum tomatoes
500ml chicken or vegetable stock
150g dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked as above (or a 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
250g spinach or chard, tough stalks removed and roughly shredded
1 large bunch parsley, tough stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
First make the meatballs. In a bowl, combine the lamb, onion, breadcrumbs, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, egg yolk, salt and pepper, mixing it with your hands until just combined. Fry a small piece of the mixture to check for seasoning, and adjust the remaining mix as necessary. Wet your hands and roll the rest of the mix into small meatballs about the size of a walnut. Warm half the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat, and fry the meatballs in batches until lightly browned on all sides, about five minutes. Set aside.
Next, make the stew. Warm the remaining oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat and fry the onions gently with the bay leaves and thyme, stirring from time to time, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli and cumin, and fry for a minute. Add the tomatoes (crushing them roughly against the side of the pan with a fork), stock and chickpeas. Season and bring to agentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Add the meatballs to the stew and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the spinach or chard and half of the parsley, and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve with the rest of the parsley sprinkled over the top.
Chickpea and pumpkin salad
Chickpeas go very well with sweet, roasted squash, adding a little bite to contrast with the silky flesh. Serves three to four as a starter, twoas a main course.
1 butternut or other squash
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled but bashed to break the skin
1-2 small red chillies, deseeded, membrane removed, finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 bay leaves
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
150g dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked as above (or a 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed)
Juice of 1 lemon
1 large bunch parsley, stalks removed, leaves chopped
1 large bunch coriander, stalks removed, leaves chopped
1 small bunch mint, stalks removed, leaves chopped
20g pumpkin seeds, toasted
Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Peel the squash, if you like (Iusually leave the skin on), halve it, scoop out the seeds, then cut it into 4cm chunks. Put these in a roasting tin with the garlic, chilli, thyme, bay leaves, some salt and pepper. Trickle over three tablespoons of oil and mix with your hands until well coated. Roast for 35-45 minutes, until the squash is softened and beginning to char around the edges. Add the chickpeas, toss and cook for five minutes to warm through. Add the lemon juice and toss with the herbs, pumpkin seeds and a bit of sea salt. Serve warm, with a little oil trickled over the top if you like.
Herby chickpea pancakes
Vary the filling according to the seasons and what you have to hand in your cupboards. Makes six.
For the pancakes
150g chickpea flour
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 small bunch coriander, tough stalks removed, leaves finely chopped
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the filling
50g butter
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1-2 tsp curry powder, depending on how hot you want it
250g mushrooms, sliced
200g cooked potato, diced
80g creme fraiche
2 tbsp finely chopped parsley
First, make the batter. Sift together the chickpea flour, salt, cayenne and cumin into a large mixing bowl. Slowly add 220-250ml water, mixing until you have a smooth batter. Add the garlic, coriander and parsley. Stirand set aside to rest for 20-30 minutes while you make the filling.
Warm half the butter in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat and gently sauté the onions with a good pinch of salt until they soften and turn golden, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder, and stir for a minute.
Raise the temperature to medium-high, add the rest of the butter and the mushrooms, and sauté until the mushrooms have given up their moisture and are taking on some colour. Stir in the cubed potatoes, creme fraiche and parsley, season and remove from the heat.
Warm a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan over a medium-high heat until very hot. Remove any excess with a wad of kitchen paper. Stir the batter, pour a small ladleful into the pan and swirl to make a nice, round pancake. Cook for two to three minutes, until the pancake looks set and cooked through. Turn with a spatula and cook for another minute or so. Transfer to a warmed plate and cover with a piece of baking parchment. Repeat with the rest of the mixture, stacking up the pancakes as you go. You should have about six.
To serve, place a couple of spoonfuls of the filling into each pancake, roll up and serve immediately.
