View all Chickpeas

The mighty chickpea (chana) is a staple Indian pulse, used especially frequently in northern Indian cooking, and is what gram flour is made from. Chickpeas are a versatile ingredient and a really cheap way of adding some protein into your diet, especially if you’re cutting out meat.

I always have a supply of both tinned and dried chickpeas at home, and you should be able to find at least one type in your local supermarket (if not, just look online or ask me and I can help!). Tinned chickpeas can simply be rinsed before use, but if you’re using the dried version (including split chickpeas, which are known as chana dahl) in a chickpea recipe then you’ll need to soak them overnight and cook them or they’ll be hard and bitter.

Browse my chickpea recipes to see what other ingredients to pair them with, for instance, how they can be used to add some extra texture to your Dhal. I just know you’re going to love trying these dishes out at home!