Chickpea Fritters in Syrup

These flavorful “little mouthfuls” (the literal meaning) of ground chickpeas are unusual in both texture and flavor. The heavy brown sugar syrup plays unexpectedly against the tang of the cheese.

Dried chickpeas—I don’t recommend canned in this case—vary a lot in moisture content, depending on how long they have been in storage. The more dried-out they are, the longer they will take to cook. The cheese should be of the cotija type, but young enough to be crumbly, not aged to