A New Book and Chickpea Salad

A New Book and Chickpea Salad

(c) Dorine Houston 2008, all rights reserved 

Daphne Miller, MD, a new member of Gather, has written The Jungle Effect, in which she points out that modern Western people have developed an array of chronic ailments unknown in traditional cultures where people eat whole, natural foods rather than processed factory foods.  Miller further points out that a diet rich in the kind of carbs that are absorbed slowly in the body are actually better than the low carb diets touted in current fad diets.  Inspired by her book, I decided to make a salad of chickpeas and vegetables.  It was so tasty that I then decided to multiply the recipe and take a large container of it to a church picnic last Sunday.  People liked it. 

A basic form of chickpea salad can be made in a large quantity and stored in the refrigerator to take out in portion sizes on other days and varied by adding different ingredients. 

I first enjoyed chickpeas in Spain in 1971, having never seen them in the US, although a few years later, upon my return, I saw that salad bars had been invented and that chickpeas were one of the add-ins.  However, people were not eating them as I knew them in Spain, in stewed dishes with plenty of other cooked vegetables.  Today's recipe incorporates flavors of Spain with the good nutrition of chickpeas and raw vegetables. 


Cooking Tips

In the recipe section of her book, Miller recommends the traditional way of cooking chickpeas, by soaking them overnight and them simmering them for two hours to three hours.  A faster method is to bring them to just under a boil in plenty of water and then let them soak for an hour.  They can then immediately be drained, covered with fresh water, brought to simmer, and cooked for about two hours; sometimes they are ready in 90 minutes.  In less than three hours, the chickpeas are ready to eat. 

While it is not a good idea to add salt or acid to the pot before the chickpeas have become tender because both salt and acid (such as in tomatoes or lemons) can keep them from ever becoming tender, it is possible to encourage the chickpeas to absorb flavor from other elements.  Cook them in salt free broth, whether vegetable, poultry or meat.  Add herbs and spices to the cooking liquid. 

Some people recommend cooking chickpeas and other legumes in fresh water and not the soaking water in order to help reduce the gassiness that many experience.  Some even go so far as to suggest discarding the cooking liquid.  However, in cultures where people eat legumes on a daily or nearly daily basis, people do not experience gassiness either from eating the legumes or from cooking them in the soaking water.  Vegetarian cookbooks published in the US indicate the same phenomenon (for example, Laurel's Kitchen; I cannot reference it exactly now because my copy is in storage).  When a person is accustomed to eating legumes regularly, the digestive system develops a greater ability to handle them and no longer develops gas in response to them.  I recommend discarding the rinse water simply because there is often dirt in the bottom of it.  I use the cooking liquid in soups and stews. 

US writers usually recommend boiling chickpeas and other legumes.  However, Spanish cooks never boil them, and the result is a much creamier texture in the final product.  To cook like a Spaniard (and their diet contains chickpeas and other legumes on a very regular if not daily basis, especially in the working and agricultural classes), limit the heat to a simmer.  A Spanish cook watches the pot carefully, and if a boil threatens to break, he or she will "asustar" or "frighten" the pot by adding a spoonful of cold water; just enough to reduce the temperature back to a simmer.  The difference in the texture is amazing--and delicious.  


Nutritional Value

One important reason why I reserve and use the cooking liquid is that it add good flavor to other dishes.  If you let it sit until it gets cold, you will see it become gelatinous.  This is an indication of protein in the liquid that was released by the chickpeas.  In addition, chickpeas are rich in B vitamins.  B vitamins, like vitamin C, are water soluble, so a good amount can be lost in the cooking water.  Chickpeas are particularly rich in vitamins B1 (thiamin) and B6. 

Chickpeas are a very good source of folate and a good source of dietary fiber, including soluble fiber, tryptophan (which aids sleep), protein, copper and iron.   A cup of cooked chickpeas contains a full 70% of the daily requirement of folate. 


Chickpea Salad

(C) Dorine Houston 2008, all rights reserved 

1/2 lb./225g dry chickpeas, soaked 
1 bay leaf 
4-6 whole black peppercorns 
4"/10cm length fresh rosemary 
Enough water or salt-free broth to cover by 2"/5cm 

6-8 scallions, chopped 
12 radishes, halved lengthwise and then sliced 
2 stalks celery from the outside of the bunch, sliced 
1 sweet red bell pepper (capsicum), diced 
1 sweet orange bell pepper (capsicum), diced 
1 sweet yellow bell pepper (capsicum), diced
3-4 tomatillos, halved horizontally and cut into wedges 
2 cloves garlic, minced (more to taste) 
2 tsp. whole cumin seeds, crushed in mortar and pestle or chopped coarsely (do not use ground cumin) 
1 large bunch cilantro (coriander leaf/Chinese parsley), well washed, coarse stems removed, dried carefully and chopped 
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, well washed, coarse stems removed, dried carefully and chopped 

Optional additions: 
12 leaves Swiss chard, blanched, shocked in cold water, dried well and chiffonnaded
1-2 kirbies, diced 
1 Haas avocado, diced 
Fresh fennel bulb, diced 
Fennel fronds, chopped 
1 tsp. fennel seeds, crushed in mortar and pestle or chopped coarsely (do not use ground fennel seeds) 
1 manzano pepper (manzano chillie), seeds and ribs used to taste for greater heat, diced 
Handful fresh dill, well washed, carefully dried and chopped 
1 zucchini (courgette), diced and sautéed 
3-4 slices from a large eggplant (aubergine), diced and sautéed 
Generous handful fresh oregano, well washed, carefully dried and chopped 
Generous handful fresh basil, well washed, carefully dried and chopped  
1 bunch spinach leaves, blanched, shocked in cold water, dried well and chiffonnaded 
Any other vegetable that appeals to you (except the sweet ones, such as carrots, parsnips, beets) 

Dressing: 
1/2 cup/200ml extra virgin olive oil (try to get the really whole kind that is dark green and has sediment in the bottom 
Juice of 2 limes or lemons (or more to taste depending on juiciness of the fruits) 
2 T./30ml salt 
Several grindings black pepper 

Optional garnishes: 
Crumbled feta cheese 
Chopped or sliced hard-boiled eggs 
Chunks of canned white albacore tuna or salmon 
Diced cured chorizo (Spanish, not Mexican; this is for a special treat and really gives the flavor of Spain) 

Put chickpeas, bay leaf, rosemary and peppercorns in a large saucepan and add the liquid.  Simmer about 2 hours, or until the chickpeas are tender, adding liquid if needed.  Start checking for tenderness after 90 minutes.  Do not allow to boil. 

Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing and prepare the herbs and vegetables.  Toss them together in a large mixing bowl. 

When the chickpeas are done, strain them and toss them with the vegetables, herbs and dressing.  Taste and adjust flavors, including seasoning, oil/citrus ratio and spices. 

Serve this dish warm at room temperature or chilled.  It keeps well in the refrigerator for at least three days.  Because the flavors marry, chickpea salad tastes even better the second and third days. 

If you make the basic mix and store it, you can vary other herbs and vegetables on different days.