what to do with dried chickpeas and puy lentils?

[barefootlinzi]

I have a tiny food budget this month, and looking in the cupboards i have an abundance of put lentils and dried chickpeas. What meals can be made from either of these? also, how long do chickpeas need soaking and cooking for?

[Annpan]

Chickpeas need over night soaking and then 40 mins cooking, I do mine on the woodburner from dry for about 24 hours and then just bring them to the boil for around 10 mins, or until they are soft.

Chickpeas in felafels, bean burgers (secretly just big felafels), in a soup (like minestrone), or in a vege stew...
I can put up recipes if you need.


Puy lentils I don't know, I only buy the red ones, cos they are very cheap.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Puy lentils make an excellent egg and lentil curry. Or just cook them up in stock with a chopped, fried onion, a little fried bacon and some tomato paste. I make this fairly thick, so it is more like a stew than a soup and serve it with baked potatoes or bread.

Chickpeas I make into a tagine with apricots and serve with couscous or into a meat free chilli.

[Green Aura]

Puy lentils are lovely - they keep their shape so you can use them in any way you would any other pulses. They're really nice boiled, until cooked, then while still hot toss them in a nice herby, garlicky vinaigrette and have them with a salad. They absorb the flavours and are yummy.

My fave way of eating chickpeas (apart from hummus and falafel) is in a curry - nice tomatoey curry, with a bit of sweetness is fantastic.

[Mylovelyhorse]

I love puy lentils. Cook them in stock for 15-20 minutes. Saute an onion, some celery, red pepper and some carrot in a frying pan. When soft, add some smoked paprika, some chopped mint and a tin of tomatoes. Simmer for another 10 mins, then mix with the lentils and serve - lovely with garlic bread, or over couscous.

[contadina]

Chickpeas vary enormously when it comes to cooking time owing to age and size. The only way I've ensured they always come out as silky smooth is to mix 1tsp salt, 1tsp bicarb and 1tbsp with a little water and then add it to them as you soak them and then stir. Silky smooth chickpeas guaranteed.

Here's a very Puglian dish my neighbours have taught me. It's really easy and tastes divine. (I've just copied and pasted it from my blog, so excuse the history lesson).

Zuppa di ceci e pasta (ciceri e tria) – chickpea and pasta soup

Serves four

Originally made with homemade tagliatelle that is then fried. Today it is usually made with shop-bought small dried pasta shapes. If you don’t have any in the cupboard break up some spaghetti. The use of bicarbonate soda, salt and flour during the soaking stage is not absolutely necessary but helps to create a silky finish to the chickpeas. You don’t have to use parsley if you don’t want but can add a sprig of Rosemary tied in muslin when you first cook the chickpeas (only remember to take it out before adding the tomatoes). As with most Puglian cooking this is a simple dish that can be adapted to what you have in the kitchen or garden.

Ingredients

140g/5oz dried chickpeas (or a 425g/14oz can), 1tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tbsp flour, 1 tbsp salt, 1 litre/1.75 pints vegetable stock or water, a sprig of parsley, a sprig of rosemary (optional), 3 garlic cloves, peeled and bruised, 40ml/3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 150g/5.5oz skinned fresh tomatoes (a handful), 100g/4oz small tubular pasta such as ditalini, parmesan or pecorino cheese for grating, chilli oil or chilli flakes (optional)

Put the chickpeas in a bowl and cover with plenty of water. Mix together the bicarb of soda, flour and salt and add enough water to make a thin paste. Stir this mixture into the bowl with the chickpeas and leave to soak for at least 12 hours if not 24, if you have the time.

After soaking drain and rinse chickpeas. Put them in a large pan and add the vegetable stock or the same quantity of water.

Add the garlic and rosemary (if using) to the stockpot and pour in half the oil. Cover the pan tightly and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cook over the lowest simmer until the chickpeas are tender, which can take between two to four hours. Do not uncover the pan for the first hour and a half, or the chickpeas will harden. For the same reason, do not add any salt until the chickpeas are nearly ready. (I do this stage in the pressure cooker these days as it only takes 15-18 mins

When the chickpeas are tender add the chopped or pureed tomatoes and their juices to the soup. Stir well, add salt and pepper to taste and cook for a further 10 minutes or so.

Before you add the pasta, check that there is enough liquid in the pan. You may have to add some boiling water. Now, add the pasta and cook till al dente. Add some freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, pour some of the remaining oil into the pot of soup, and drizzle some more into each bowl after you've ladled in the soup. Put the cheese on the table with a grater and some chilli flakes.

Chickpea curry is always a winner - just make sure you use plenty of onions

[floraadora]

You can put them in the slow cooker pot to soak overnight, then switch on and leave to cook for a few hours.

Chickpea and potato curry is nice and cheap.

[Clara]

After soaking chickpeas must be boiled for 10 minutes before they go into any type of slow cooker or haybox otherwise they'll stay hard, no matter how long you cook them for.

[floraadora]

Erm, I didnt boil mine before putting them in the slow cooker and they are fine. Really soft and these are quite old too.

[Clara]

Erm, I didnt boil mine before putting them in the slow cooker and they are fine. Really soft and these are quite old too.

erm ok perhaps I misunderstood that but if you use a haybox arrangement instead they will for sure not cook

[Ellendra]

I cook lentils in beef stock, mix it half-and-half with tomato soup or sauce, then pour it over a baked potato.

I'm kind of a lazy cook.

[Birdie Wife]

If your budget can stretch to some sausages, you can make a sausage and lentil casserole. Fry off some finely chopped onion and sausages together slowly and gently until browned all over and the onions are sweet and sticky. Add chopped garlic and a splash of stock or red wine to deglaze. Add the lentils, enough stock to cover, a bit of tomato puree and cover. Simmer until the lentils are done and almost no liquid is left - stir occasionally during this time to stop the casserole sticking. Optional extras include a can of chopped tomatoes, a bunch of cooked spinach, mushrooms... or whatever.

[fruitcake]

both are really nice sprouted

[patR]

Chickpea and Lemon soup.

gorgeous!

Soak chickpeas overnight and then cook until soft ,
In a heavy bottom pan in a good dollop of olive oil,fry off a good sized onion, couple cloves garlic(chopped) sprinkle of mixed herbs, I use coriander leaf and parsley. Add chickpeas. (I dont know weight, I have a litre jug, I half fill with dried chickpeas so when soaked they fill the jug. ) stir round untill coated nicely with olive oil and sizzle a while. Add water to cover. Simmer until onion is cooked, a veg stock cube can be added if you want. Blend till smooth with hand whizzer, add juice of 1-2 lemons to taste... should be a little tart but not sour, it takes on a kind of cheese taste.... hmmm lovely-....

[ocailleagh]

I was always led to believe that cooking pusles in stock or salted water will stop them softening, in fact, the few times that I've forgotten and done it anyway, I've ended up with crunchy lentils, regardless of cooking time...
Oh and soaking isn't always necessary, but does cut down on the cooking time significantly :-)