Chickpea Poppers Recipes

CHICKPEA POPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
• Pat the chickpeas dry with a clean dish towel or a few paper towels. Toss the chickpeas on the baking sheet with the olive oil and salt.
• Bake the chickpeas until they have turned golden brown and shrink slightly, 35 to 40 minutes. They will harden slightly and crisp up as they cool, so do not overbake them or they will get too tough and hard. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt as necessary. Serve the chickpeas warm or at room temperature. Photograph by Todd Coleman/The Mom 100 Cookbook

CHICKPEA POPPERS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Drain the chickpeas in a large colander to get rid of as much moisture as possible, 15 minutes. If using canned, rinse first then drain.
• Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, coating the chickpeas well.
• Arrange the seasoned chickpeas in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake 15 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven; mix gently so the chickpeas cook evenly. Return to oven and bake 15 minutes more.
• Cool 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the additional red chili powder if you like.
• TO PREPARE YOUR OWN COOKED CHICKPEAS:
• Singla says soaking the chickpeas first isn't necessary. They will cook up just as soft as if they were presoaked. Don't have a slow cooker? Use a heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, reduce the amount of water by 1/2 to 1 cup, use a very low flame and keep a careful eye that the chickpeas don't burn.
• Pick over and rinse 3 cups (about 18 ounces) whole, dried chickpeas.
• Place in a 3 1/2-quart capacity slow cooker with 5 cups water.
• Cook on high 4 hours.
• Rinse the beans with cold water to stop the cooking process; drain excess liquid.
• Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week or the freezer up to 3 months. Makes 7 cups.

CRISPY SPICED CHICKPEAS WITH PEPPERS AND TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees and arrange racks on the top and bottom thirds of the oven.
• In a large bowl, toss chickpeas with 2 tablespoons oil, the cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne and 1/2 teaspoon salt until evenly coated. Spread onto a rimmed sheet pan in a single layer and top with 3 thyme sprigs.
• On a second sheet pan, combine bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, jalapeños and remaining thyme sprigs with 2 tablespoons oil and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Spread vegetables into one layer.
• Place chickpea pan on the bottom rack and vegetables on the top rack and roast for 10 minutes. Switch pan positions. Roast chickpeas until crisped but still tender, about 5 minutes, and roast vegetables until golden brown, about 10 minutes. If the vegetables are tender but not browned, place the pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to caramelize. Discard thyme sprigs.
• While the chickpeas and vegetables roast, whisk lemon juice, garlic and remaining 1/4 cup oil in a small bowl. Season with salt to taste.
• Arrange vegetables on a large platter and drizzle with half the dressing, then top with crispy chickpeas, fresh herbs and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle remaining dressing over everything. Serve with couscous or rice, if you like.

HOT AND SPICY CHICKPEA POPPERS

Steps:

• Combine all popper ingredients and knead together until fully combined. (the mixture will be slightly tacky) Shape into walnut-sized balls and flatten slightly between palms of hands.
• Combine 1/2 cup flour with 2 tablespoons sesame seeds. Dredge the poppers in this mixture, pressing slightly so that sesame seeds adhere.
• Shallow-fry in skillet, 2 minutes per side, turning over and frying other side when golden. Allow to cool a few minutes before serving alone, or with your favourite salsa.