the easiest and cheapest roasted chickpeas recipe ever

The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.  —Robert Swann

Canada is a large country that extends 8 distinct climate regions. Our winters are long and harsh and up north, the growing season is short if any at all. I can understand using some canned items in some instances but I can`t understand using canned pulses when dried pulses preserve just as well if not better. Yes, canned affords convenience but from what I see of the state of our world, we are beyond choosing convenience; we need to put our planet first. There are many ways to do that and opting for dried pulses is just one way each one of us can make a contribution.

That brings me to roasted chickpeas. I`m so tired of seeing roasted chickpea recipes starting with a can especially when there is a better way to do it. You`ll be surprised to see how easy it is, not to mention economical and a win for our planet.

Only 3 easy steps: soak, microwave and roast. Done.

The Easiest and Cheapest Roasted Chickpeas Recipe Ever

• 300 g (about 1 1/2 cups) dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

1. Wash and soak chickpeas overnight or at least 6-8 hours. Be sure to use a large bowl and at least 4 cups of water for soaking.
2. Once the chickpeas have soaked, rinse and strain them. Put them in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from microwave and using a slotted spoon (cause we don’t want any of the water that may have accumulated) put chickpeas on a large plate (or use two plates) lined with a clean tea towel or paper towels.
4. Let the chickpeas sit for awhile. We want the towels to absorb as much water as possible and for the chickpeas to be as dry as possible.  (You can pat them dry as well). When you are ready to roast, preheat the oven to 375°F. I use the convection roast setting of my oven.
5. Transfer chickpeas to a large bowl and toss with oil. Spread them out onto a baking dish. Be sure to use a baking dish that is sufficiently large enough so the chickpeas can be placed in a single layer (a rimmed cookie sheet works well).
6. Roast for 10 minutes then rotate the baking dish (for even roasting) and roast for another 10 minutes. Repeat this for another set of 3 minutes and then in sets of 1 minute until the chickpeas are golden brown and crisp. It is important to check often after the 25 minute mark as they can go from perfectly golden brown to burnt very quickly. It takes me a total of 30 minutes for the whole roasting process. See the tip below for extra crispiness.
7. Remove from oven and place in a dry bowl, toss with 1 tsp salt. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container. If they have been well roasted and stored in a dry location (no moisture remaining), they can keep for months.

Flavours

You can replace the 1 tsp of salt for other flavours. Here as some ideas:

• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or muscovado or honey) and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp chili powder and lime (add lime to only the portion you plan to eat as it may not store for long with added moisture)
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder and 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 sugar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• or whatever your taste buds desire!

In each case, add the flavouring after the chickpeas are roasted but while they are piping hot straight out of the oven.

Tip

For extra crispy chickpeas, you can place them back in the turned off but hot oven for a few more minutes.