Chickpeas

yellow chickpeas—kabuli chana

black chickpeas—kala chana

green chickpeas—hara chana

Yellow chickpeas, also commonly identified as “garbanzo beans” or “Bengal gram,” were consumed in India as early as the Harappan civilization, around 4500 B.C. One of the most popular of all the legumes, chickpeas are versatile and are also consumed fresh (the fresh green ones are eaten off the pod as a crunchy snack). The cooked bean’s nutty texture and ability to absorb spices and herbs makes it an ideal ingredient in curries like Tart Chickpeas with a Spicy Tomato Sauce and Chickpeas with a Coconut Sauce. Every supermarket carries canned cooked chickpeas, which are priceless in terms of convenience and expediency; drain and rinse them before use.