Before cooking the chickpeasWe must put them in water for at least 12 hours out of the fridge, in a cool place away from moisture. If you prefer to leave them in the fridge, you will have to wait at least 24 hours. Chickpeas should be completely covered in water.
If the water used to put the chickpeas it is very chalky, it is possible to add a teaspoon of baking soda. But beware, with the amount of bicarbonate that is incorporated, and the time that the chickpeas are left inside, because this product could modify their flavor if they remain too long than expected. If we add bicarbonate, 8 hours in water is enough.
If desired, you can add a little salt during the time they are in the water, but the ideal would be to salt them in the last minutes of cooking. As for the amount to be foreseen per person, this varies depending on the dish to be prepared. If they are prepared to be served as a single dish, you have to plan 100 grams per person. You will see that the size of the chickpea increases as it cooks.
Once the time to put them in water has passed and the chickpeas They are ready, drain with the help of a strainer and wash well. This stage is very important, therefore never forget to wash them. In order to cook the chickpeas, you can take a fairly large saucepan and pour un liter of water. I know add a bay leaf if desired. The best thing is that the water has the minimum of calcium and magnesium possible. For this, you can use bottled water. The water is cooked over high heat.
When the water is boiling, add the chickpeas. The water should completely cover the chickpeas and exceed them by at least 3 centimeters. If it is done in an express pot, it should be closed once the chickpeas are inside, the heat is lowered when it starts to whistle and the steam output is left to a minimum. If it is a normal saucepan, without pressure, the lid is closed in order to accelerate the cooking.
For traditional casseroles, it is advisable to cook the chickpeas for 10 minutes at fire intense. Then they stop cooking, drain them, and add a new water and let it cook over a low heat. This process can take up to 2 hours. Chickpeas are salted to taste after changing the water. In the case of the express pot, the salt is added when the chickpeas are put in and a little more when the heat is lowered. With this type of casserole, the chickpeas are cooked in 45 minutes approx.
When they are well cooked, they are removed from the heat and drained in order to remove the cooking water. Cook chickpeas it is a slow process that requires a lot of delivery. If they are mixed with a salty food, it is not advisable to add shawl.