Dried Garbanzo Beans: Three Ways

Dried Garbanzo Beans: Three Ways – Cooked Beans, Falafel or Hummus

Well it goes without saying these days have been an adjustment for most of us and we’re all figuring out the best ways to cope with it. As difficult as it can be emotionally and financially, my hope is that most of you are quarantined at home doing the best you can while we wait and see how the days continue to unfold.

I have been in self-isolation for over two weeks now, only venturing out when necessary. The rest of the time, I’ve been home…working some, reading some, and cooking a whole lot more.

Cooking is my coping method. Not only does it keep me busy (sometimes for hours) but it brings me joy, makes me feel useful, and best of all, leaves me with a fridge full of good food to eat for days.

With all of the panic buying that’s been taking place, especially for pantry items/non-perishables, I’m sure it’s left a lot of you with more cans and bags of dried beans than you know what to do with.

But fear not!  I already keep a surplus of dried beans handy and I love to make a big batch for the week to use in different ways.

Here is a quick video I made that uses one 16oz bag of dried garbanzo beans three different ways: falafel, hummus and cooked beans.  See below for individual recipes and notes.

To begin any of the three recipes, start by pouring the bag of dried garbanzo beans into a large bowl and covering with water to soak overnight. Once soaked, rinse them well with cool water.

Falafel

Ingredients:
-⅓ of soaked garbanzo beans (uncooked)
-1 bunch of parsley (remove stems)
-¼-½ cup of any other greens you might have (cilantro, kale, spinach, beet greens, radish greens, etc. this is optional)
-1 medium lemon
-2-4 cloves garlic (depending on your preference)
-half an onion (any variety works)
-salt to taste
-½ Tbsp cumin
-¼ tsp cardamom (optional)
-½ tsp turmeric (optional)
-¼-½ cup flour
-¼ cup cooking oil (grapeseed, avocado, coconut, etc.)
 
 
Method:
 
-Add all ingredients except soaked beans, flour and oil to a food processor and pulse until well combined, scraping the sides down as you go
-Add soaked beans and pulse until combined, continuing to scrape the sides down
-Taste for seasoning and add salt as needed
-Start adding flour a little at a time (you may not need the full amount) and pulse to combine
-Once you have a smooth paste, transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 min or up to overnight
-Remove cooled dough from refrigerator and form small discs
-To cook, heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet on medium high with ¼ cup cooking oil (make sure oil is hot before adding the falafel)
-Place falafel discs in skillet (do not crowd the pan) and cook until browned, about 5-8 min per side (you may have to adjust the heat if they’re browning too quickly or not fast enough)
-Place cooked falafel on a dish until all the dough is cooked
-Serve warm over pita bread, with hummus or tahini, with salads or bowls, the options are endless!

 

Notes: Falafel is typically made with just parsley but I love to add different greens for extra nutrition and just to use up extra greens I might have. I feel that it doesn’t affect the flavor but try it out as you see fit. There are countless recipes using canned garbanzo beans but I have not had much success with any of them. I have found the best method is to use dried beans that have been soaked overnight for the right texture.

 

Hummus

Ingredients:
-⅓ of soaked garbanzo beans (cooked in water with kombu for about an hour, until tender)
-1 lemon
-2-4 garlic cloves
-3 Tbsp-⅓ cup tahini (optional but delicious)
-about ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
 
 
Method:
 
-Add all ingredients except olive oil to a food processor and pulse until well combined
-Continue to pulse and add olive oil to the mixture, scraping the sides down as you go
-Continue mixing until very smooth, at least 3-4 minutes
-Transfer to a bowl/container and enjoy!

 

Notes: I cook the beans with kombu, a seaweed to aid in digestion, it’s totally optional but I have found it beneficial. It does not add any taste or texture to the beans. You can remove the garbanzo bean skins for extra smooth hummus (very time consuming but worth it if you want the smoothest texture.) I prefer to make the hummus when the garbanzo beans are still warm but you can pre-cook them and keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to make it.  If using canned beans, follow the same process but drain and rinse the beans first (they do not need to be cooked ahead of time).

 

Cooked Beans

Ingredients:
-⅓ of the soaked garbanzo beans (cooked in water with kombu for about an hour, until tender)
-1 shallot (or onion), minced
-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
-salt and pepper to taste
-½ tsp dried oregano
-¼ cup parsley or other herbs you have (cilantro, thyme, etc.), chopped
-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 
 
Method:
 
-Heat oil in a medium pot and add shallot, garlic, salt, pepper and dried oregano, cook until fragrant about 2-3 minutes
-Add juice of lemon and parsley and saute for another 2-3 minutes
-Add pre-cooked beans and vegetable broth
-Bring to a boil and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 min
-Serve warm, over rice or any other grain, in mixed bowls, with salad, etc.
-Keep leftovers refrigerated. You can add to soups or even puree into hummus as well.

 

Notes: I cook the beans with kombu, a seaweed to aid in digestion, it’s totally optional but I have found it beneficial. It does not add any taste or texture to the beans. You can use canned beans as well just make sure to drain and rinse them well beforehand. This base works well for any type of bean. I love the delicate flavor of the shallots but you can use any variety of onion you might have on hand. You can also add some red pepper flakes if you like it spicy.

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Issue #3
Q&Co. 

Published by

Andrea Pavlov

Andrea Pavlov is a writer, traveler and chef. She has traveled throughout America, Europe and Colombia sharing her insights, photography and advice on cooking, camping, cross-country traveling, skincare and environmental sustainability. Of course, as many of her long-time followers know, you can also find her on Instagram as @avocadoyolks for all her latest reports on good food, sustainability, and her dog Sunny. (aka Sonny Boy Williamson, if you ask Ren Michael).