Chickpea

How to recognise it

In the garden and in the hand.

Growth habit

A bushy annual, twenty to sixty centimetres high, with fine hairy stems and feathery foliage; grown as a field and garden crop.

Leaves

Small, oval, toothed leaflets in pairs along a central stalk, covered in fine glandular hairs that feel slightly sticky.

Stem

Slender, branching, hairy stems.

Flower

Small pea-like flowers, white, pink or violet, borne singly.

Colour

Green pods; seeds cream to tan (kabuli types) or small and dark brown (desi types).

Aroma

Little when raw; nutty when cooked.

Texture

Hard dried seeds that soften to a firm, mealy bite when cooked.

Distinguishing features

Short, inflated, hairy pods holding one or two rounded, beaked seeds; the beak is the giveaway.

Common lookalikes

Other small legumes in the field; in the kitchen, dried chickpeas are distinct from peas and beans by their wrinkled, beaked shape.

Selection and storage

Choosing, keeping, preserving.

Choosing

Dried: uniform, unbroken, not dusty or shrivelled; fresher dried pulses cook faster. Tinned: firm, not mushy. Green: plump, tender pods.

Storage

Dried, in an airtight jar in a cool dark place for up to a year (older beans cook more slowly). Cooked, refrigerated in their liquid for up to four days.

Preserving

Cooked chickpeas freeze well in portions with a little cooking liquid.

Safety and cautions

Before you cook with it.

• Chickpeas are safe for most people as food.
• Allergy to chickpea exists and is more common in regions where it is a staple; people allergic to lentil, pea or peanut can cross-react.
• Dried chickpeas must be soaked and fully cooked; undercooked pulses are hard to digest. They cause wind in many people, which soaking, thorough cooking and gradual increases in intake reduce.
• Chickpea flour and products may be processed alongside wheat; anyone avoiding gluten should check the label.

This ingredient profile is provided for culinary and general educational purposes. It is not medical advice and does not recommend an ingredient as a treatment. Anyone who is pregnant, managing a medical condition, allergic, or taking medication should consult an appropriate healthcare professional before using concentrated herbal preparations or supplements.