How to cook dried chickpeas - Step by step instructions to cook garbanzo beans from scratch
Updated: Jan 14, 2021
Chickpeas are called "Mookku Kadali" in Tamil (my native language) "Mookku" means nose and "Kadali" means lentil. The shape of the chickpeas with its nose like pointy end is the reason behind this name.
Chickpeas is used in both Northern and Southern Indian cuisine. My mom used to make a chickpeas snack called "Sundal". Sundal is cooked chickpeas seasoned with mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, urad dal and dried red chili in oil. The seasoned chickpeas is topped off with freshly grated coconut and chopped cilantro.
This is a sugar free and gluten free healthy snack. And the great thing about it is, it tastes absolutely divine! Back in India we always cook chickpeas from scratch. I have never seen a chickpeas can growing up in India.
"Without further ado" let's get to the Chickpeas cooking technique.
How to cook dried chickpeas
Soak 1 cup of dried chickpeas in 4 cups of water for overnight. You can soak it before you go to bed and keep it in room temperature. Do not refrigerate the chickpeas.
The next day morning, wash the chickpeas by swirling your hand in the chickpeas and water and drain the water using a colander. Repeat the same process 3 times.
Add the washed chickpeas in a pot. Fill the pot with 5 cups of water and add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.
Switch on the stove and cook the chickpeas in high heat for 5 minutes.
After 5 minutes reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid.
Cook the chickpeas in low heat for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes open the pot, take a chickpea using a spatula and mash it with a fork.
If the chickpeas are cooked into a soft texture switch off the stove. If not cover the pot with the lid and cook in low heat for 10 more minutes.
Once the chickpeas are cooked. Let it cool down and drain the excess water using a colander.
You can use this cooked chickpeas in a wide variety of dishes like soups, salads, curries etc.
Hope you enjoyed reading my blog! Please share your questions and comments about Indian food and culture in the comment section. I would be happy to answer them for you. If you would like to learn to cook Indian food, please click here to sign up for my private virtual cooking class.
