A step-by-step guide, how to cook chickpeas on stove top from scratch. Soak, cook and store chickpeas for your next dinner. Yes, you don't need a pressure cooker to cook soft, fluffy and tender chickpeas. The super-easy method for beginners and bachelors to try at home kitchen.
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I always prefer to cook chickpeas at home on my stove top rather than using frozen or canned. It's super easy and simple just need to follow few steps and you will get soft, juicy, and tasty chickpeas on your table. It's a multi-purpose grain that allows making a variety of dishes all around the world. Chickpea salad, falafel, hummus, chickpea rice, and many more dishes that you can make just by storing cooked chickpeas in your refrigerator.
I never bought store chickpeas as it contain preservatives which is absolutely not healthy so it's a better idea to prepare at home.
Chickpeas are full of protein, multivitamins, and healthy nutrients that your body needs. Many people know chickpeas by the name of Garbanzo beans, Bengal gram, and Chana. It's a type of legume. If you want to know the health benefits of chickpeas then look at here.
Ingredients
What Ingredients Need to Cook Dried Chickpeas?
You only need 4 ingredients to cook chickpeas. The rest of the cook depends upon the method and cooking time.
Chickpeas: You can buy dried chickpeas from the store. I personally recommend having organic chickpeas as it contains low sodium or with no salt.
Salt: Chickpeas are nutty in taste so you can make adjustments to salt as per your taste.
Soda by Carbonate: It's the main ingredient that I don't want to skip. Actually, it works as a catalyst to accelerate the process of cooking to make chickpeas soft and tender.
Water: You need water to soak and boil chickpeas. Half filled for boiling depending upon the quantity. Don't forget to have a look, how long to cook chickpeas down below this post.
How to Cook Chickpeas on Stove
To cook the best quality chickpeas that are juicy, fluffy, grainy, soft and 100% tender depends upon the cooking method. Here is a simple step-by-step guide that will help you to cook quality chickpeas on the stovetop without using a pressure cooker.
Step 1: Soaking
Basically, it's a process used for legume seeds to activate the germination process of the kernel. Placing the grain in water for a long time to make it soft and moist helps to cook perfectly in a short time.
To perfectly soak the chickpeas, follow these steps:
- Unfold the bag in a bowl.
- Give it a good rinse and fill the bowl with water.
- Make sure to take the deep bowl or utensil as the chickpeas will increase the size during soaking. So if the size is small then it will overflow.
Perfect Soaking Time:
Overnight is recommended. Otherwise, 7 to 8 hours will be required to completely soak the grain. After soaking the texture of chickpeas will be soft and it will increase the size.
What After Soaking?
After soaking the chickpeas need a good rinse. Drain the water and wash it properly with tapped water using a strainer. Now the chickpeas are ready to cook/boil.
Step 2: Cooking / Boiling
In a pan, add water and chickpeas. Make sure the chickpeas are leveled with water. Now boil on high heat for 10 minutes on the stovetop. Add salt and soda by carbonate (½ teaspoon in 01 Kg bag). Cover and cook for 30 minutes on medium heat and after turn the heat to low and cook for an hour. During cooking, you may have a look at the water level. It should not be dried out. Normally, good soaking chickpeas takes 01 hour to completely soften the grain. (This applies when you are using soda bicarbonate).
As you noticed the grain is soft and moist, now check the water that becomes thick and tasty. If you want that then turn off the heat. If you don't want then you can turn the heat on high to evaporate the water.
Tip: I personally store both chickpeas and water in different containers and use the water when I make chickpea curry or chickpea pulao. It really adds a big difference in taste.
Author: Hinz Cooking
Without Soda by Carbonate
In case, if you don't want to use 'soda by carbonate' then the cooking time will increase to 2 to 3 hours.
Video
Before going into the details, I will recommend you to watch this quick video that will help you to follow the quick steps if you are going to cook chickpeas first time.
Tips To Cook Soft Chickpeas
Here are a few tips and tricks for beginners to make soft chickpeas at home kitchen using stovetop.
- Don't soak for too long otherwise, the chickpeas will be smelly.
- Rinsing is important right after soaking.
- Always soak in a deep bowl/pan otherwise the overflow will happen.
- Make sure the soaked chickpeas are doubled in size.
- Carefully add water, when boiling the chickpeas.
- Chickpeas create a white foam during cooking that you can discard but don't worry it's fine to cook with.
- During cooking chickpeas, don't run the spoon again and again. It will disturb the grain softening process.
- Chickpeas are nutty in taste and some dried chickpeas already contain sodium so check the label before adding salt.
How to Store Cooked Chickpeas?
First, bring on room temperature. Then distribute in portions and packed in containers or ziplock bag.
Store in Freezer: (For 01 to 2 month)
Place the cooked chickpeas bag in the freezer for 01 to 2 months. Make sure to use it as soon as possible as it not carrying any preservatives. When you need it then take the bag out and microwave it to defrost and use accordingly.
Store in Refrigerator (2 to 3 days)
You can also place the chickpeas in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. If you are storing for short time then this will be great otherwise freezing is recommended.
Share this recipe with your family and friends. It would be great if you leave your feedback in the comment box. If you make this recipe at home then share a picture with the hashtag #hinzcooking
Chickpea Recipe Ideas
So now you have cooked chickpeas and you can try different recipes. Here are some ideas that I tried:
- Chickpea Salad: Extremely healthy salad recipe that will also help in weight loss.
- Falafel: Quick and easy Arabian snack recipe that you can easily make at home.
- Crunchy Chickpea Snacks: Best for a healthy munching idea for foodies.
- Chickpea Curry: Extremely delicious and tasty curry recipe to prepare with cooked chickpeas.
- Chana Pulao: One of the best Indian recipes to cook chickpeas with rice.
- Chaat: Popular recipe of South Asian street food to prepare with cooked chickpeas.
Q & A
Chickpeas are hard in texture. Soaking transform the hard grain into soft form. A good soaking can break the chickpeas with hands. Like, when you press the chickpeas with hard finger it will break into pieces. Soaked chickpeas are extremely moist and soft and good for stomach.
If the chickpeas are soaked overnight then it will take 01 hour without pressure cooking. Check the boiled chickpeas with hand if it's easily break then it's done. I simply check by eating a piece of chickpea. If it shows hard texture then give more time to cook.
Baking soda helps to accelerate the chickpeas tendering process. Use in moderate quantity while boiling chickpeas and it will help to make it soft and moist in texture.
Boil it again! Make sure to properly sealed the lid to make the steam. It will help to cook the chickpeas fast.
Best to soak overnight to get good result.
If you don't have enough time then soak it in big pan with warm water and add ⅓ teaspoon soda bi carbonate. Give it good mix. Add sufficient water so the chickpeas properly dunked into it. Check the water level as the chickpeas will absorb the water and increase the size. Soak for 3 to 4 hours.
1) Cook chickpeas on instant pot
2) Use pressure cooker to cook chickpeas
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How To Cook Chickpeas on Stove
Ingredients
- 1 kg Chickpeas 1000 gms
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Soda bicarbonate
- Water for soaking and boiling
Instructions
Soaking
- Unfold the packet of dried chickpeas in a bowl. (I took 1KG bag)
- Wash and fill the bowl with water.
- Soak overnight (8 hours).
- After soaking, gently wash and drain the water.
Cooking/Boiling
- Fill a deep pan with 1.5-liter water.
- Heat up the water.
- Add the chickpeas to the water.
- Also add salt and soda bicarbonate.
- Cover the pan for 1 hr on medium heat.
- 10 ) Make sure to check the level of water during cooking.
- After 01 hour, chickpeas will be ready to eat.
Video
Notes
How long to Store: You can store for 01 to 02 months in the refrigerator.
Hinz
Here is simple and easy way to cook dried chickpeas. Easy to watch video for quick directions.