Oven Roasted Chickpeas...New year resolutions!!

Oven Roasted Chickpeas…still January and I bet your are still on that “I will try and eat healthy” bit…the resolve maybe be slipping a little by now but it is still there…here is a little something to help avoid that packet of chips that is calling out to you ? (And ME J )

Oven Roasted Chickpeas

Ingredients: 

• Chole/Safed Chana/Chickpeas, ¾ cup dried or 2 cups canned 
• Water, to soak and boil, if using dried beans
• Salt, 1 tsp, if using dried beans

Seasoning: 

• Oil, 2 tsp
• Salt, to taste and Red Chili powder or Cayenne Pepper, ½ to ¾ tsp

OR

• Salt, to taste , Red Chili powder or Cayenne Pepper, ½ to ¾ tsp and Kashmiri Chili powder/Paprika, ¼ to ½  tsp

OR

• Salt, to taste and Chaat Masala, ½ tsp or 1 tsp (remember chaat masala already has salt in it so adjust accordingly)

OR

• Salt, to taste and Garam Masala, ½ to ¾ tsp

OR

• Salt, to taste, Red Chili powder or Cayenne Pepper, ½ to ¾ tsp, Cumin powder, ¼ to ½ tsp and Coriander powder, ¼ tsp

OR

• Salt, to taste, Pepper, ½ to ¾ tsp and garlic powder, ½ tsp

OR

• Any seasoning of your choice – salt along with lemon zest and rosemary OR oregano and basil OR rosemary, pepper and garlic

Instructions:

If using dried beans, wash the chickpeas well and soak them in a large bowl in plenty of water overnight.

Drain the water in the morning and pressure cook with salt for about 2 whistles. (Important- the chickpeas should still retain their shape and not go mushy). Drain and rinse the chickpeas in a colander under running water. Leave them in the colander for an hour or so to dry.

If using canned beans, rinse and drain the chickpeas well in a colander under running water. Leave them in the colander for an hour or so to dry.

Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Line a large rimmed baking tray with parchment paper. Set aside.

Remove the chickpeas from the colander onto a clean dish towel. Fold the towel in half to cover the chickpeas and rubbing them lightly to ensure they get completely dry. If the skin comes off a few (which it will J ), remove the skin as else it will burn ( don’t throw away the skin, eat it!! Remember fibre!! J ) No need to remove the skin from all the chickpeas.

Once 100 percent dry, spread out the chickpeas in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and place in the preheated oven.

Roast for 30-40 minutes or until light golden and crispy. Turn and stir/shake every 10-15 minutes so they don't burn (the sign of doneness – they will rattle when you shake the tray J ) 

While the chickpeas are roasting, mix your seasoning with the oil in a large bowl. Pull the tray out and transfer the hot chickpeas to the bowl. Mix very well with a spoon so that the oil and seasoning coats each and every one of them – take your time, no need to rush but ensure all are coated.

Transfer the chickpeas back on the baking tray and put the tray back in the switched off oven.

Let the tray sit inside the oven as the oven cools down for around half an hour.

Anddd they are ready to eat!! Enjoy IMMEDIATELY!!!

Notes:

• If you have googled, you would have come across recipes where chickpeas are roasted with oil and seasoning. I prefer dry roasting as I think the chickpeas are crunchier and masalas/seasoning taste much better when mixed at the last stage.

• They go without spoiling for a week to ten days in an airtight container HOWEVER, they taste much better when fresh. So try and make only as much as you think you will be able to consume in a day (or two)

• Keep in mind that once they roast they shrink and shrivel and reduce in size considerably.

• Chickpeas must be completely dry before putting in the oven as otherwise they end up being soggy, so don’t skip on that dish towel step.

• Don’t over crowd the tray – must be in single layer with enough space. If you are doubling the quantity, please bake in batches.

• Don’t wait for them to brown – brown means burnt. Remove and shake the tray after every 10-15 minutes. If you see that they are getting brown, just lower the oven temperature to 180 C and cook them a little longer.

• Keeping the tray back in the oven once you have seasoned helps the chickpeas get crunchier.

• Don’t be tempted to increase the oil quantity!!