WE CALL 'EM GARBANZO BEANS

[Here is some data on Chickpeas, also called Garbanzo Beans. Highly nutricious. Lots of Protein. Many



The plant grows to between 20 and 50 cm high and has small feathery leaves on either side of the stem. One seedpod contains two or three peas. The flowers are white or sometimes reddish-blue. Chickpeas need a subtropical or tropical climate with more than 400 mm of annual rain. They can be grown in a temperate climate but yields will be much lower.

Types

White and green chickpeas
There are two main kinds of chickpea:
Desi, which has small, darker seeds and a rough coat, cultivated mostly in the Indian subcontinent, Ethiopia, Mexico and Iran.
Kabuli, which has lighter coloured, larger seeds and a smoother coat, mainly grown in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Afghanistan and Chile, also introduced during the 18th century to the Indian subcontinent)"[4]


The Desi (meaning country or local in Hindi) is also known as Bengal gram or kala chana. Kabuli (meaning from Kabul in Hindi, since they were thought to have come from Afghanistan when first seen in India) is the kind widely grown throughout the Mediterranean. Desi is likely the earliest form since it closely resembles seeds found both on archaeological sites and the wild plant ancestor of domesticated chickpeas (cicer reticulatum) which only grows in southeast Turkey, where it is believed to have originated. Desi chickpeas have a markedly higher fiber content than Kabulis and hence a very low glycemic index which may make them suitable for people with blood sugar problems.[5]

Cultivation and use


Chickpeas are grown in the Mediterranean, western Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Domestically they can be sprouted within a few days all year round with a sprouter on a windowsill.


Mature chickpeas can be cooked and eaten cold in salads, cooked in stews, ground into a flour called gram flour (also known as besan and used in primarily in Indian cuisine), ground and shaped in balls and fried as falafel, fermented to make an alcoholic drink similar to sake, stirred into a batter and baked to make farinata, cooked and ground into a paste called hummus or roasted, spiced and eaten as a snack (such as leblebi). Chick peas and bengal grams make excellent curries and are one of the most popular vegetarian foods in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the UK. On the Indian subcontinent chickpeas are called chana (Hindi and other Indic languages),Chhola(Bengali), konda kadalai or kothu kadalai (Tamil), where they are a major source of protein in a mostly vegetarian culture.

Chana masala from Delhi, India.


Many popular Indian dishes are made with chickpea flour, such as mirchi bajji and mirapakaya bajji telugu. In India unripe chickpeas are often picked out of the pod and eaten as a raw snack and the leaves are eaten as a green vegetable in salads. Chickpea flour is also used to make "Burmese tofu" which was first known among the Shan people of Burma. The flour is also used as a batter to coat various vegetables and meats before frying, such as with panelle, a chickpea fritter from Sicily.[6] In the Philippines garbanzo beans preserved in syrup are eaten as sweets and in desserts such as halo-halo. Ashkenazi Jews traditionally serve whole chickpeas at a Shalom Zachar celebration for baby boys. [7]

[edit] Nutrition
Chickpeas, mature seeds, cooked no saltNutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 160 kcal 690 kJ
Carbohydrates
27.42 g
- Sugars 4.8 g
- Dietary fiber 7.6 g
Fat
2.59 g
- saturated 0.269 g
- monounsaturated 0.583 g
- polyunsaturated 1.156 g
Protein
8.86 g
Water
60.21 g
Vitamin A equiv. 1 μg
0%
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.116 mg
9%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.063 mg
4%
Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.526 mg
4%
Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.286 mg
6%
Vitamin B6 0.139 mg
11%
Folate (Vit. B9) 172 μg
43%
Vitamin B12 0 μg
0%
Vitamin C 1.3 mg
2%
Vitamin E 0.35 mg
2%
Vitamin K 4 μg
4%
Calcium 49 mg
5%
Iron 2.89 mg
23%
Magnesium 48 mg
13%
Phosphorus 168 mg
24%
Potassium 291 mg
6%
Sodium 7 mg
0%
Zinc 1.53 mg
15%
Percentages are relative to USrecommendations for adults.Source: USDA Nutrient database
Chickpeas are a helpful source of zinc, folate and protein.[8][9] They are also very high in dietary fiber and hence a healthy source of carbohydrates for persons with insulin sensitivity or diabetes. Chickpeas are low in fat and most of this is polyunsaturated.


One hundred grams of mature boiled chickpeas contains 164 calories, 2.6 grams of fat (of which only 0.27 grams is saturated), 7.6 grams of dietary fiber and 8.9 grams of protein. Chickpeas also provide dietary calcium (49-53 mg/100 g), with some sources citing the garbonzo's calcium content as about the same as yogurt and close to milk. According to the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics chickpea seeds contain on average:
23% protein
64% total carbohydrates (47% starch, 6% soluble sugar)
5% fat
6% crude fiber
3% ash
There is also a high reported mineral content:
phosphorus (340 mg/100 g)
calcium (190 mg/100 g)
magnesium (140 mg/100g)
iron (7 mg/100 g)
zinc (3 mg/100 g)