Humanity has been growing this leguminous crop for more than 7,000 years, and it is used not only as an element of nutrition, but also as a medicine. In Russia, chickpea began to spread only recently, but in the East it is very popular.
In this article we will tell you why it should be included in the daily menu, we will give several recipes for its preparation.
A bit of history
As mentioned above, the history of chickpeas as human food began a very long time ago. Coming from the East to the tables of Rome and Greece, he immediately took the place of a revered food product. He was promptly tied to the pantheon, allocating a place next to Venus, as it was claimed that chickpeas promote health. In addition, it began to be valued above peas, as it was more nutritious and stimulated gas formation to a lesser extent.
Today it is actively used in the cuisines of countries such as India, Turkey, Mexico, Pakistan. A little less popular, but at the same time we sincerely love chickpeas in the Mediterranean countries.
Composition
Chickpeas are loved by the people not only for their taste, but also for their exceptional nutritional value. Being a product of plant origin, chickpeas are able to compete with eggs, as they have a similar set of amino acids. In other words, fasting people, vegans and those who cannot eat eggs for medical reasons will find salvation in chickpeas. In addition, the calorie content of chickpeas will please the fighters for a healthy lifestyle, as this product contains fibers (both soluble and not), manganese, selenium, iron and, of course, a large amount of protein.
On the topic of the benefits of this food product, you can rant for a very long time, we will try to highlight the main points:
- stimulates digestion, while lowering the level of cholesterol in the body;
- due to manganese, it promotes hematopoiesis and stimulates growth;
- due to molybdenum, which is part of chickpeas, the body activates the neutralization of harmful preservatives;
- protects the eyes from the formation of cataracts;
- normalizes blood sugar levels.
Dry calorie content of chickpeas is 364 kcal per 100 grams, while it contains 19 grams of protein, 6 grams of vegetable fat and 61 grams of carbohydrates.
How to cook chickpeas?
The only problem that can arise with chickpeas is the initial preparation. It is very hard and takes a long time to cook, but if you follow the principle of cooking, you will save yourself the hassle. It can also be cooked for future use and frozen for the future.
First, soak the chickpeas in cold water overnight. The liquid should be 3 times more than the Turkish peas. If you plan to grind boiled chickpeas into puree (for example, which we will give below), then you can add 1 teaspoon of soda without a slide, as it helps soften the dense shell.
After the specified period, the chickpeas will noticeably increase in size. Drain the old water and fill with cold new water, then put the peas on the fire. Let it boil, remove the foam and reduce the heat to a minimum, then cook for 2 hours. Drain the water, wait for the chickpeas to cool, and use them according to the recipe.
with chickpeas
Chickpeas are most effective when paired with vegetables, so treat yourself to a delicious and healthy vegetable stew:
Cooking
Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic, then fry in vegetable oil until golden brown.
Throw chickpeas into the pan, fried onions and garlic will saturate it with aromas.
Wash the eggplant and cut into cubes with a 2 cm edge, then add to the peas.
Fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Chop the tomatoes into cubes and add to the pan along with the salt and spices. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of water there, mix, reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid closed, stirring occasionally.
Finely chop the herbs and garlic, add to the vegetables, mix again and remove the dish from the heat.
Let stand for 5-7 minutes, then you can serve. This dish is extremely dietary, since the calorie content of chickpeas, already low, is complemented by an abundance of vegetables, which give the dish additional weight and volume. A plate of ready-made stew pulls a maximum of 250 - 300 kcal.
Hummus
And here he is! Hummus is the most popular. And this is not an exaggeration. Homogeneous, buttery, with a slight nutty taste, in the classic version it is served with boiled eggs, raw onions and warm white bread. A very rich, nutritious dish, but not the easiest for the stomach, so many replace eggs and onions simply with vegetables, and take whole grain bread. If you make the hummus less thick, then you can use it as a dip by dipping vegetables into it. The main recipe is the following:
First of all, heat the cumin in a dry frying pan until a light aroma appears, then pour it into a coffee grinder and grind it. It can also be done in a mortar.
Do the same with sesame seeds.
Grind lemon juice and garlic in a blender until smooth.
Add cumin and sesame powder to the same place, grind again until a homogeneous paste is obtained.
Throw the chickpeas into the blender without stopping the grinding process.
To regulate the density, you can add chickpea broth or just water.
Salt the pâté and taste it. Add more oil or lemon juice if desired. Place in a bowl and drizzle with oil to taste.
That's all, hummus is ready, you can help yourself. However, you need to be restrained in your desires. Despite the taste and benefits of the dish, the calorie content of chickpeas, multiplied by the abundance of oil, may not affect your figure in the best way. Measure should be in everything.
Boiled chickpeas rich in vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin B9 - 43%, potassium - 11.6%, magnesium - 12%, phosphorus - 21%, iron - 16.1%, manganese - 17.6%, zinc - 12.8 %
Benefits of boiled chickpeas
- Vitamin B9 as a coenzyme involved in the metabolism of nucleic and amino acids. Folate deficiency leads to a disruption in the synthesis of nucleic acids and protein, resulting in inhibition of cell growth and division, especially in rapidly proliferating tissues: bone marrow, intestinal epithelium, etc. Insufficient folate intake during pregnancy is one of the causes of prematurity, malnutrition, and congenital deformities and developmental disorders of the child. A strong relationship was shown between the level of folate, homocysteine and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Potassium is the main intracellular ion involved in the regulation of water, acid and electrolyte balance, is involved in the processes of nerve impulses, pressure regulation.
- Magnesium participates in energy metabolism, synthesis of proteins, nucleic acids, has a stabilizing effect on membranes, is necessary to maintain homeostasis of calcium, potassium and sodium. Lack of magnesium leads to hypomagnesemia, increased risk of developing hypertension, heart disease.
- Phosphorus takes part in many physiological processes, including energy metabolism, regulates acid-base balance, is part of phospholipids, nucleotides and nucleic acids, is necessary for the mineralization of bones and teeth. Deficiency leads to anorexia, anemia, rickets.
- Iron is a part of proteins of various functions, including enzymes. Participates in the transport of electrons, oxygen, ensures the occurrence of redox reactions and activation of peroxidation. Insufficient consumption leads to hypochromic anemia, myoglobin deficiency atony of skeletal muscles, increased fatigue, myocardiopathy, atrophic gastritis.
- Manganese participates in the formation of bone and connective tissue, is part of the enzymes involved in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, catecholamines; necessary for the synthesis of cholesterol and nucleotides. Insufficient consumption is accompanied by growth retardation, disorders in the reproductive system, increased fragility of bone tissue, disorders of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
- Zinc is part of more than 300 enzymes, is involved in the synthesis and breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, nucleic acids and in the regulation of the expression of a number of genes. Insufficient intake leads to anemia, secondary immunodeficiency, liver cirrhosis, sexual dysfunction, and fetal malformations. Recent studies have revealed the ability of high doses of zinc to disrupt the absorption of copper and thereby contribute to the development of anemia.
A complete guide to the most useful products you can see in the application
Despite the fact that you can now buy various products in stores, not many Russians know what chickpeas are. And if they see very large peas of a light beige color, similar in shape to a peeled hazelnut or an owl's head with a beak, they do not know what this leguminous plant is called. But chickpeas have been known in the world almost since the Bronze Age. This heat-loving plant has many names. It is called a bubbler, shish, nahat. But the most common names are Turkish or mutton peas. The latter is due to the shape of the beans, which resemble the head of a lamb. In this article, we will look at the benefits and harms of chickpeas. We will study its calorie content with different types of heat treatment. We will also tell you what to cook with chickpeas. This legume grows well in Eastern Europe, although its homeland is Central Asia. Chickpeas are widely used in the Middle East. World famous dishes such as falafel and hummus also contain chickpeas.
The history of the distribution of chickpeas
The most ancient evidence of the use of this variety of legumes for food dates back to the Bronze Age. On the territory of Iraq, a site of ancient people was found, who, no doubt, prepared dishes from it. In Europe, fossilized chickpea seeds have been found in Greece. As scientists have found out, they were grown seven and a half thousand years ago. In the tomb of Akhenaten, one of the frescoes depicts a pharaoh holding a shoot with chickpea pods in his hand. Probably, in ancient Egypt, this plant symbolized male power. In ancient times, chickpeas were used not only for food, but also as a medicine. And not only because people guessed about the high calorie content of chickpeas. Hippocrates believed that chickpeas should be eaten regularly for skin diseases. And the Roman physician Dioscorides Pedanius recommended eating young grains to improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Since the climate of Russia is too harsh and humid for this type of legume, the national cuisine does not use it. But what prevents us from buying chickpeas in a store or market and preparing various delicious dishes from it?
What is the difference between chickpeas and peas?
These two plants are indeed related. But very far away. Both chickpeas and chickpeas belong to the broad legume family, as do beans and soybeans. The difference between plants can be determined by the pod. In chickpeas, it is short, dark in color, swollen, with a rough and rough surface. It makes no sense to describe ordinary peas - it is familiar to many. It has green long and smooth pods. But the most important difference between the two plants is the high calorie content of chickpeas. The nutritional value of ordinary green peas is only 81 units per hundred grams of product. And his "Turkish namesake" has a calorie content of 364 kcal. So for a resident of the Middle East, one can rephrase the well-known Slavic saying “For the poor and honey mushrooms - meat”: “Chickpeas will replace lamb for a beggar.” Indeed, chickpeas are often used as a satiating element in various dishes. Vegetarians and vegans use it instead of meat, because chickpeas saturate the body with protein.
Benefits of Turkish Peas
This plant has long been used not only as a food product, but also as a medicine. Indeed, modern research shows that chickpeas contain many useful substances. And not only in seeds (peas), but also in other parts of the plant. For example, young chickpea sprouts contain high-quality fats and proteins, calcium, fiber, potassium and magnesium, vitamins A and C, the essential acids tryptophan and methionine. This part of the plant is low in calories. And the leaves of Turkish peas contain valuable acids: malic, citric and oxalic. But, of course, we are most interested in the benefits and harms of chickpea beans. Thirty percent of it falls on protein, which is close in quality to egg. Another 60% are nutritious carbohydrates. The calorie content of chickpeas is explained by the high content of oils in it (up to 8%). According to this indicator, of all legumes, it is second only to soy. The grains of chickpeas contain a number of useful substances and vitamins (A, family B, C and PP).
Who should eat chickpeas and who should refrain from eating them
Turkish peas have a high nutritional and energy value. But since the product is slowly absorbed by the body, it does not increase blood sugar levels. Hence, chickpeas can be consumed by people suffering from diabetes. Doctors have found that, despite the high calorie content, chickpeas strengthen the walls of blood vessels. It does not contain bad cholesterol. Therefore, the product will be useful to the cores. But who needs to use chickpeas in a dosed way is for those who vigilantly monitor the thinness of their waist. If you've already decided to treat yourself to crunchy falafel or hummus, give up other satiating foods. Even a small portion of a dish of chickpeas can dull the feeling of hunger for a long time.
Turkish peas are a frequent guest on the tables of people living in the Mediterranean. Its high gastronomic qualities are fully consistent with the benefits of the product. Chickpeas have a pleasant nutty flavor. Chickpeas can be boiled, fried, stewed, canned, made into flour. Therefore, it is not surprising that the cookbooks of the cuisines of the Mediterranean countries contain many recipes for delicious chickpea dishes. If the beans are boiled and ground to a smooth puree, you get a hearty Jewish snack hummus. Turkish peas and dishes from it have also become widespread east of the Mediterranean. Arabs make falafel, crispy vegetarian cutlets, from chickpeas. Chickpea flour is widely used in Indian cuisine. In Italy, farinata are baked from it. In the Philippines, chickpeas are preserved in syrup. This dessert serves as the base for halo halo ice cream.
Chickpea vegetable soup
It is known that if the product is cooked, then its nutritional value will decrease, since part of the calories will go into the water. Therefore, if you are watching your figure, cook a vegetable soup with chickpeas. The calorie content of boiled chickpeas will decrease by almost three times and will be (depending on the variety) 120-140 units. The nutritional value of the soup will be even less. After all, we will add only low-calorie vegetables: carrots, bell peppers, some potatoes. Chickpeas (200 grams), like other legumes, should be soaked overnight before cooking. After washing it again, fill the peas with two liters of water. Chickpeas are cooked for about an hour. Add two diced potatoes. If necessary, add water and salt the dish. We continue to cook under the lid. In a small amount of vegetable oil, fry the carrots and two peppers cut into strips. Sprinkle vegetables with turmeric and other favorite spices. Add stir-fry to soup. At the end of cooking, we throw a bay leaf, add salt to taste.
Yoghurt Soup (Turkish Cuisine)
For this dish, chickpeas must be boiled in advance. We need one and a half cups of ready-made chickpeas. The relatively high calorie content of boiled chickpeas in soup will decrease even more - up to 60 units.
In a saucepan, mix a glass of natural yogurt and an egg. Dilute three tablespoons of flour with a little water. Stir so that there are no lumps left. Add to yogurt. Throw in boiled chickpeas. Put the saucepan on medium heat. Gradually add a liter of water or broth. When the soup boils, let it boil for about five minutes, until it thickens. Melt 30 grams of butter in a frying pan. Pour a pinch of chili pepper, mint, tarragon. Warm up for half a minute. Let's make this soup. Ready!
Farinata (Italian cuisine)
It is customary to use these chickpea cakes instead of bread, eating soups with them. To get flour, just grind the chickpeas in a home coffee grinder. Then we sift through a sieve, and large particles will leave. We need one hundred grams of flour. Pour 300 milliliters of warm water into a tall bowl. Gradually add the chickpea flour, stirring all the time and beating with a whisk. Pour one and a half to two tablespoons of olive oil into the dough. Salt, add spices, mix. Leave the dough for several hours at room temperature. Onion (preferably purple) thinly cut into rings. We spread a thick cast-iron frying pan with a removable handle from the inside with vegetable oil. Let's pour the dough. Lay the onion rings on top. Let's put it in a hot oven. We bake at a temperature of 220 degrees for about twenty minutes.
Hummus (Jewish cuisine)
This dish is a chickpea porridge, supplemented with various spices. In Israel, tahini mass is added to hummus, but it is too expensive for us. However, you can do without it. Chickpea beans (125 grams) should be soaked overnight. Then drain the liquid and put to boil in clean water. Cook until the peas are completely softened - an hour and a half. Grind three tablespoons of white sesame seeds in a coffee grinder. Strain boiled chickpeas. Add ground sesame seeds, two tablespoons of lemon juice and four - olive oil. Squeeze out to the total mass through the press two or three cloves of garlic. Beat with a mixer or immersion blender. Salt, season with black pepper, sweet paprika. Let's serve hummus to the table with freshly baked tortillas.
Meatballs
If you refrain from eating meat, make chickpea patties. The calorie content of the dish is quite high due to the Turkish peas and rice. One hundred grams of chickpeas must first be soaked, boiled until tender and mashed with a masher. Young zucchini should be rubbed finely, put under pressure, drain the resulting liquid. Add chopped onion to chickpea puree. Squeeze two cloves of garlic into it. Transfer the zucchini to the chickpeas. Knead. Season the minced meat with ground black pepper, grated ginger and orange peel, pour in soy sauce to taste, add salt. Crack an egg into the mass. Stir again. If the stuffing is too liquid, add a spoon or two of flour. Cut hard cheese into small pieces. Put each in the middle of the patty. They need to be rolled in flour, semolina or breadcrumbs and fried in vegetable oil until golden brown. Cover the finished cutlets and steam for five minutes.
Most people in our area know what peas are, how they look and taste. However, not everyone knows that the common pea has a "twin brother" with a similar name, but with slightly different properties. Naturally, we mean chickpeas or chickpeas, which can also be found on sale under other names: shish peas, nahat, bladder, mutton peas and even hummus (denotes both the chickpea itself and the delicious Middle Eastern dish of chickpea puree).
This type of pea is very useful and interesting from a culinary point of view, as it has a unique rich taste and a special “nutty” aftertaste. In a word, let's get acquainted ...
The chemical composition of chickpeas
Useful properties of chickpeas
Chickpeas are a typical representative of legumes with all their advantages and disadvantages. This means that the Turkish peas have downright medicinal properties, and at the same time a truly "explosive" character. Although if you use chickpeas on an empty stomach and do not eat anything, then there will either be no gases at all, or there will be very few of them.
So, a standard serving of chickpeas (200-300 grams) covers about half of a person's need for the most important trace elements - calcium and potassium.
The inclusion of chickpeas in the diet allows you to quickly rid the human body of excess cholesterol, which in turn reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, thanks to the Turkish peas, a person has the opportunity to reduce blood sugar levels by a non-drug method, as well as increase potency. The last statement is difficult to verify, but rumor persistently ascribes this property to chickpeas.
Chickpeas are an excellent supplier of manganese and iron to the human body, which is very important for strengthening the immune system and maintaining a high level of hemoglobin in the blood.
It is also believed that chickpeas can prevent and even cope with pre-existing cataracts, glaucoma and non-communicable skin diseases.
Well, and of course, it is vital for vegetarians to eat chickpeas and other legumes in order to maintain normal metabolism and protein synthesis in the body.
The healthiest chickpeas are raw chickpeas!
The most useful properties of chickpeas are manifested in their raw form. Well, in order not to break your teeth on dry rounds, and at the same time increase the nutritional value of chickpeas, you can sprout it. This is done very simply:
The required amount of chickpeas must be washed in running water, poured into a container, poured with water and left for 6-8 hours, after which the chickpeas should be washed again in running water. Next, put a wet piece of cloth in the working container (so that it completely covers the bottom), pour chickpeas there and cover with the same cloth. After a while, the chickpeas will sprout. The main thing is to moisten the fabric with drinking water in time, otherwise it will take an unbearably long time to wait for germination. The ideal length of seedlings is 1-3 mm.
Calories, kcal:
Proteins, g:
Carbohydrates, g:
Chickpea is a herbaceous annual of the family Legumes and its seeds, outwardly resembling a scolding head. Chickpeas are often called Turkish or lamb peas, and the product is especially popular in the countries of the Middle East, India and Asia. Seeds, or chickpea beans, ripen in a pod, where they can be located from 1 to 4, most often there are two beans. The color of chickpeas is light sand, yellowish, sometimes there are darker varieties. Indian chickpeas are smaller than traditional chickpeas and have a green color.
It has been proven that chickpeas have been known for more than seven thousand years; in the Bronze Age, chickpeas came to Rome and Greece, where it was used not only as a food product, but also as a medicine.
calorie content of chickpeas
The calorie content of chickpeas is 364 kcal per 100 grams of product.
The main component of chickpeas is a high-quality, easily digestible vegetable protein, which is put on a par with the protein of poultry and some meat products. Chickpeas are one of the staple foods for vegans, vegetarians, raw foodists, and anyone who, for whatever reason, does not eat meat. Fiber, contained in large quantities in chickpeas, helps to gently cleanse the intestines, remove toxins, and prevents constipation. Chickpea contains, especially a lot in it, which is necessary for normal tissue respiration and redox reactions. Of the minerals, chickpea has in its composition, and, which have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart muscle, regulate blood sugar levels.
Even in ancient times, doctors noted that those who use chickpeas have beautiful skin - clean, without rashes and inflammations. The amino acid lysine, found in chickpeas, promotes muscle building without increasing body fat. This property of chickpeas makes the product an attractive alternative to meat for athletes and anyone who leads a healthy lifestyle and follows the principles of a healthy diet.
Harm chickpeas
Chickpeas, like all representatives of legumes, cause increased gas formation in the intestines, which is fraught with discomfort and heaviness in the stomach. Those who have a "weak" stomach should consume chickpeas in minimal quantities, using only pre-soaked chickpeas (calorizator) for cooking. It is not recommended to use chickpeas in the presence of the following diseases: gout, thrombophlebitis, bladder ulcer and cystitis, especially in the acute stage.
Turkish peas are an annual, leguminous plant, the grains of which have an unusual shape, resembling a ram's head with a bird's beak. Stem erect, covered with glandular hairs. Leaves are pinnate. It reaches a height of 20-70 cm. Pods are short, swollen, contain from 1 to 3 grains, tuberculate-rough surface. Color - from yellow to very dark. The mass of 1000 seeds, depending on the variety, ranges between 150 and 300 g.
Turkish peas are heat-loving, self-pollinating plants, pollination occurs in the phase of a closed flower, sometimes cross-pollination. The vegetation period is 90-110 days for early-ripening and up to 150-220 days for late-ripening varieties (calorizer). Germination begins at a temperature of 3-5 °C, seedlings withstand short-term frosts up to 8-11 °C. During flowering - bean formation, the optimum temperature should be between 24-28 ° C. Central Asia is considered the birthplace of cultural chickpeas. The plant is cultivated in the countries of Central and Central Asia, East Africa, Eastern Europe, India, the Mediterranean region. It is believed that chickpeas were known and eaten by humans long before the beginning of our era. So in Greece, chickpea peas were found, whose age is not less than 7.5 thousand years, and in Iraq, chickpea seeds dating back to the "Bronze" age have been preserved. In ancient times, chickpeas were often used not only as food, but also as medicine.
Selecting and storing chickpeas
When purchasing chickpeas, it is necessary to carefully examine the beans for the absence of mechanical damage, dark spots, whitish coating. If even one of the signs indicated above is present, you should refuse to purchase. The reason to choose another chickpea is shriveled and dried beans. Fresh chickpeas have smooth beans with a smooth surface, uniformly colored.
Store purchased chickpeas in a vacuum container or paper bag in a dark place. Chickpea retains its organoleptic qualities and useful properties for 12 months.
How to cook chickpeas
In order to avoid discomfort in the stomach after eating chickpea dishes, the beans must first be soaked in cold water for 10-12 hours. Then drain the water, cover with fresh cold water and bring the chickpeas to a boil. Cook until cooked over medium heat, periodically removing the resulting foam.
Chickpeas in cooking
Chickpeas are traditionally the basis of oriental dishes - and. Puree soups, pilafs, pates, meatballs and cookies are prepared from chickpeas. Chickpeas go well with fresh and spicy herbs.
For more about chickpeas, see the video “Chickpeas. Turkish peas "TV program" Living Healthy ".
Especially for
Copying this article in whole or in part is prohibited.
