SPICY ROASTED CHICKPEAS

Chickpeas (see infos) are delicious no matter how they are prepared! This legume is a wonder of nature as it's not only remarkable in flavor, but also very healthy...

I have eaten them in many different ways, but never had I made my own "Roasted Chickpeas", although I crave noshes and nibblies of all kinds. So, one Saturday afternoon, as I was thinking about making something different for the apperitive, I came up with that scrummy "Spicy Roasted Chickpeas" recipe.

Those high fiber chickpeas are like no other starter food! They are highly tasty with their smokey, meaty and spicy Middle Eastern flavor. The tahini paste really adds an interesting and uncomparable nutty aroma. Wonderful and very exotic! And their crunchiness is delightful. They are a real alternative to the industrial, bland and unhealthy other kinds of apperitive food that are generally served with wine and which always tend to leave a bad impression on our tastebuds and a nasty feeling in our stomachs...

To test them is to adopt them!

~ Spicy Roasted Chickpeas ~
Recipe by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Makes one bowl.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Dried chickpeas
1/2-3/4 Tsp Ground cumin
1/2 Tsp Ground coriander
1/2 Tsp Ground paprika
1/2 Tsp Ground dry oregano
1/2 Tsp Garlic powder
1/3 Tsp Onion powder
2 Tbs Tahini paste
Salt, to taste

Method:
1. Soak the chickpeas in enough cold water to cover for 12 hours or overnight.
2. Drain.
3. Combine the chickpeas with three times their volume of water in a pan.
4. Bring to the boiling point and continue cooking over high heat for about 5 minutes during which you will remove the white foam the forms at the surface of the water.
5. Lower the heat and simmer, covered for about 60 to 80 minutes or until tender.
6. Drain the cooked chickpeas.
7. Preheat oven to 220° C (425° F).
8. In a bowl, mix the chickpeas together with the cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, tahini paste and salt.
9. Put the chickpeas on a prepared baking sheet and place on the middle rack in the overn.
10. Roast for about 30 minutes, until fragrant, golden and crispy/crunchy.
11. Remove from the oven and cool completely before serving.

Remarks:
After having simmered the chickpeas for about 3o minutes, add 1 tablespoon salt to the chickpeas. Let them simmer until they are cooked through. If you add the salt at the beginning your chickpeas will take longer to cook.
The spice mixture should to coat the chickpeas evenly.
While roasting the chickpeas, stir them regularly (every 10 minutes).
Store the roasted chickpeas in an airtight container.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as starter or nibble as a snack.

(Palmyra -Pic by Aleksandra Borzecka www.trekearth.com)