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COOKING CHICKPEAS
Basic: Whether canned or dried, chickpeas, or garbanzo beans, pack protein in vegetarian dishes. Soak dried beans overnight with a teaspoon of baking powder or speed up the process by employing an instant pot.
Advanced: Don’t toss the liquid from canned chickpeas! Instead, use a stand mixer and a touch of cream of tartar to whip it up into a fluffy, eggless meringue called aquafaba.
AKA CICER
An ancient staple crop hailing from the Middle East, chickpeas are the key ingredient in hummus, falafel and chana masala. This nutrient-dense legume is grown worldwide, with India growing the lion’s share.
AROUND RVA
Poor Boys: The best bar snacks are crispy and salty with a bright flare of heat, and these Cajun roasted chickpeas deliver on all counts.
Natalie’s Taste of Lebanon: Well-spiced chickpeas cozy up to fava beans in falafel, served with creamy tahini and pickled turnips.
Salt & Forge: A fete on a baguette, this curried chickpea sandwich combines roasted beet puree, pickled onions and herbed goat cheese.
“[Use] the liquid to make an aquafaba, which acts as an egg replacement.” —Chip Cooke, chef at 821 Cafe
Chip Cooke, chef at 821 Cafe (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
COOK LIKE A LOCAL
Vegan Crabcakes
By Chip Cooke, chef at 821 Cafe
821 Cafe Chef Chip Cooke uses chickpeas as the base for the eatery’s vegan crabcakes, which get a hint of the sea thanks to sheets of nori, dried seaweed. “The use of chickpeas in two ways here shows their versatility,” Cooke says. “First, they are used for their texture in helping re-create the crabcake look and feel [and] secondly by using the liquid to make an aquafaba, which acts as an egg replacement.”
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed (reserve liquid)
2 14-ounce cans hearts of palm, rinsed, drained and cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup reserved chickpea liquid
1/4 cup vegan mayo
1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6 sheets nori
1/2 cup green onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the drained and rinsed chickpeas and hearts of palm on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of Old Bay. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes until both are relatively dried out. Let cool completely before proceeding. (These steps can be skipped if you're pressed for time, just make sure those ingredients are thoroughly dry.)
While that's cooling, in a large mixing bowl take the reserved chickpea liquid and whip with a hand mixer for four to five minutes until it starts to thicken. Then add the vegan mayo, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Dijon, Tabasco, melted butter and all the dry seasonings. Whisk to combine.
Once cooled, transfer the chickpeas and hearts of palm to a food processor. Pulse a few times until a crab-like consistency appears. Be careful not to over mix, or it will get mushy. Do it in batches if needed, to avoid crowding the food processor.
Add the chickpea and hearts of palm mixture, green onion, and panko to the other mixture. Gently mix to combine. Refrigerate the mixture for at least an hour to allow the flavors to come together. When ready to cook, form into 1/4-cup balls. Flatten and pan fry with oil for four to five minutes per side.
