Boiled

To boil a chickpea until it reaches a state of creamy, mind-melting wow takes a minimum of 1 hour and up to 4 hours. During cooking, chickpeas will initially kick off a very frothy scum—even if they have been soaked and their water changed diligently—requiring more attention than most cooking legumes. This is why I use canned, but to each her own. Find your own pleasure.

To boil a chickpea, soak the dried chickpeas overnight (or 6 to 8 hours), place in a large stockpot, and cover with water 1 to 2 in [2.5 to 5 cm] higher than the chickpeas. Add any aromatics that you like (onion, garlic, herbs, spices). Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer. Skim off any foam. Cook until tender, checking after about 45 minutes but knowing that they could take hours. Add salt to season. Let chickpeas sit in that liquid for at least 10 minutes but ideally overnight.