Encyclopedia Of Foods

326 Part II: Encyclopedia of FoodsServing SuggestionsBroad beans are starchy and strong-flavoredand are great puréed or mashed and in salads.In Italy, broad beans are combined with otherstrong-flavored ingredients, and in Francethey are considered a good cocktail food.A simple but elegant serving suggestionis to add a little butter to the cooked beansand a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste andthen serve topped with chopped parsley.Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)Botanical and archeological evidence revealsthat chickpea plants were first domesticatedin the Middle East in ancient times.Today, however, India supplies 80 to 90percent of the world’s supply of chickpeas.The many names that chickpeas go byare a nod to the many regions of the worldwhere they are now grown and eaten. InIndia, they are referred to as Bengal gram.In Spanish-speaking countries, they are garbanzo.The Arab world refers to them ashamaz (or hummus), and in Ethiopia theyare called shimbra.The plants grow in tropical to temperateregions and reach about 2 feet in height.Plants bear inflated inch-long pods enclosingone or two irregularly shaped seeds.Broad beans (fava beans)The seeds are about one-quarter to one-halfan inch in diameter and can be buff-colored,yellow, brown, black, or green. Theplant’s young, green pods and sprouts canalso be eaten.Like many legumes, chickpeas are anexcellent source of fiber. In addition, theyare a good source of magnesium.Preparation TipsChickpeas are available at most grocery storesboth canned and dried. They can be eatenfresh, fried, roasted, or boiled. Generally,chickpeas should be soaked overnight beforecooking, which is usually done by boilingthem. Dried chickpeas may take as long as2 hours before they are soft and ready to eat.A pressure cooker is also an option and canreduce cooking time by half.Serving SuggestionsChickpeas have a mild, slightly nutty flavorand a firm texture. They can be used in appetizers,salads, soups, or main dishes. Flourmade from ground chickpeas can be madeinto breads or used as batter for deep-fat frying.They also can be combined with pastaor simply served by themselves. Sometimesthey are served roasted and salted like peanuts.They are part of cuisine worldwide. In theChickpeas (garbanzo beans)Middle East, they are mashed and used as themain ingredient in hummus, a thick saucemade with lemon juice, olive oil, and sesameseed paste. Hummus is becoming a populardish in the United States. Falafel, a MiddleEastern croquette, is another dish that drawson the chickpea as its main ingredient. In theMediterranean region, chickpeas are addedto Spanish stews and Italian minestrone soups.Common BeansBeans provide a good source of dietary fiber.Beans or peas, eaten together or at separatemeals, form a high-quality protein essentiallyequivalent to that from animal sources.(For more information on green beans, alsoknown as snap or string beans, see page 257.)Common beans originated in CentralAmerica, where archaeological remains ofthese beans, found in association with theremains of maize and squash, have beencarbon dated to more than 7,000 years ofexistence. Columbus and subsequentSpanish and Portuguese explorers carriedbeans back to Europe and eventually introducedthem throughout Asia and Africa.A few of the most familiar beans aredescribed here.Black BeansMany people have become acquainted withblack beans after eating at Mexican restaurants,where they are served boiled or refried.Also known as turtle beans, black beans area common part of the cuisine throughoutCentral and South America, the Caribbean,and the southern United States. As their nameindicates, they have a completely black skin.They have a mild, somewhat sweet taste.Black beans are an excellent source offolate and a good source of iron, magnesium,phosphorus, potassium, and thiamin.