How to Cook Organic Chickpeas Perfectly Every Time

Today, we're going to talk about cooking organic chickpeas. Don't worry if you've never tried it before – we'll walk you through it, step by step. By the end of this, you'll be chickpea experts!

Why Choose Organic Chickpeas?

Before we jump into cooking methods, let's talk about why organic chickpeas are worth considering. Organic chickpeas are grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilisers, which means they're better for the environment and potentially healthier for us. 

They often have a richer flavour and a slightly firmer texture than their non-organic counterparts. Plus, by choosing organic, we're supporting farmers who use sustainable practices. It's a win-win!

Getting Started: Soaking

The first thing you need to do is soak your chickpeas. It might seem like a pain, but trust us, it's worth it. 

Soaking helps make the chickpeas easier to cook and easier for your body to digest. 

Here's what you do:

1. Give them a good rinse: Pour your chickpeas into a colander and give them a good wash under the tap. This gets rid of any dust or bits that shouldn't be there.
2. Pick out the odd ones: While you're rinsing, keep an eye out for any chickpeas that look a bit off. Maybe they're discoloured or shrivelled. Just pick these out and throw them away.
3. Cover them with water: Put your clean chickpeas in a big bowl and cover them with plenty of water. Use about three times as much water as chickpeas.
4. Let them sit: Now comes the waiting game. Leave your chickpeas to soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours. If you're doing this in the morning, they'll be ready to cook by dinnertime.

If you're in a hurry, you can do a quick soak instead. Here's how:

1. Put the chickpeas in a pot with lots of water.
2. Bring it to a boil and let it bubble for about a minute.
3. Then turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit for an hour.

This quick soak method works in a pinch, but the overnight soak is best if you have the time.

A little tip: Some people like to add a pinch of baking soda to the soaking water. This can help make the chickpeas even softer, especially if you live somewhere with hard water. It's not necessary, but it can be helpful.

Cooking Time: Three Ways to Do It

Now comes the fun part – cooking! 

We've got three ways for you to do this, depending on what equipment you have and how much time you want to spend.

On the stove: 

This is the traditional way, and it's great if you want to keep an eye on your chickpeas as they cook.

• Drain and rinse your soaked chickpeas.
• Then put them in a big pot and cover them with fresh water. Use about twice as much water as chickpeas.
• Bring it to a boil, then turn it down to a gentle simmer.
• Now let them cook for about 1-2 hours. The time can vary depending on how old your chickpeas are and how soft you want them.
• Check on them every now and then, giving them a stir and making sure there's enough water.
• You'll know they're done when you can easily squish one between your fingers.

This is a faster way to cook chickpeas, perfect for when you're short on time.

• Put your drained and rinsed chickpeas in the pressure cooker with fresh water.
• Seal it up and let it cook for about 12 minutes once it's reached pressure.
• After that, let the pressure come down on its own. This helps keep the chickpeas nice and intact.
• If they're not quite soft enough, you can always cook them for a few more minutes.

In an Instant Pot:

This is like a mix of the first two ways. It's quick like a pressure cooker but a bit more hands-off.

• Put your chickpeas and fresh water in the Instant Pot.
• Set it to cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
• Once it's done, let it sit for another 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.
• If they need a bit more cooking, you can always put them on for another 5 minutes.

Making Them Tasty

Plain chickpeas are fine, but you can make them even better! Here are some things you might like to add to the pot:

• A bay leaf or two: This adds a subtle, earthy flavour.
• Some garlic cloves: You don't even need to peel them. They'll infuse the chickpeas with a lovely garlicky taste.
• A bit of onion: Half an onion, roughly chopped, can add a nice sweetness.
• A splash of olive oil: This makes the chickpeas lovely and smooth.

We always recommend adding salt at the end of cooking. If you add it at the beginning, it can make the chickpeas tough. Nobody wants tough chickpeas!

Achieving the Perfect Texture

The ideal texture for chickpeas depends on how you plan to use them. Here's a quick guide:

• For hummus or other dips: Cook until very soft and almost mushy.
• For salads or grain bowls: Cook until tender but still holding their shape.
• For soups or stews: Cook until just tender, as they'll continue to soften in the dish.

Top Tip: If your chickpeas aren't quite soft after cooking, no problem! Just keep cooking them gently for a bit longer, checking every 10 minutes or so, until they're soft.

Keeping Them Fresh

If you've made too many chickpeas (it happens to all of us!), don't worry. They keep well in the fridge or freezer.

For the fridge:

• Let them cool down in their cooking liquid.
• Then put them in a container, liquid and all, and pop them in the fridge.
• They'll stay good for about 3-4 days.

For the freezer:

• Drain the chickpeas and let them cool completely.
• Then spread them out on a baking tray and freeze them like this first.
• Once they're frozen, you can put them in a freezer bag.
• They'll keep for about 3 months in the freezer.

Freezing them on the tray first stops them from sticking together in the bag. This way, you can take out just as many as you need each time.

Delicious Ways to Use Your Chickpeas

Now for the best part – eating them! 

Here are some of our favourite ways to use homemade chickpeas:

1. Homemade hummus: Mash them up with garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and olive oil. It's so much better than store-bought!
2. Chickpea curry: Throw them in a curry for a filling meal. They soak up all those lovely spices.
3. Crunchy roasted snack: Dry them off, toss them with oil and spices, then roast them in the oven until they're crispy. Perfect for nibbling!
4. Fresh salad: Mix them in a salad with veggies, feta cheese, and a simple dressing. It's great for lunch.
5. Falafel: Use soaked but uncooked chickpeas to make these tasty little fried balls. They're a bit of work but so worth it.
6. Creamy pasta sauce: Blend some cooked chickpeas into your usual pasta sauce. It makes it extra creamy and adds some protein too.

Wrapping Up

So there you have it – everything you need to know about cooking organic chickpeas from scratch. It might seem like hard work at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's really not too tricky. They taste so much better than the ones from a tin, and you know exactly what's gone into them.

And don't forget – chickpeas are really good for you. They're full of protein, fibre, and lots of other good stuff. So not only are you learning a new skill, you're doing something good for your body too.