Crispy Spiced Chickpeas
– KACANG PUTIH –
MALAYSIA / SINGAPORE
Sadly, the kacang putih man doesn’t exist in the childhood memories of many younger-generation Malaysians and Singaporeans, what with the popularity of fast food and convenience stores. I still remember the Indian uncle who would park outside the gates every afternoon when primary school ended, his bicycle laden with all manner of boiled, fried or roasted nuts and beans. We would get a paper cone filled with a mix of these goodies, the classic favourite being salted chickpeas. I’ve spiced up the traditional recipe with cumin, coriander and a squeeze of lime.
Makes about 500g
- 200g dried chickpeas
For the spice mix
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon groundnut oil
- sea salt, to taste
- Place the chickpeas in a large pot and pour in enough water to cover them generously by about 5cm. Cover and leave to soak overnight.
- The next day, drain and rinse the chickpeas. Return them to the pot with enough fresh water to cover, and bring to the boil on a high heat. Once boiling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until cooked and softened.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C/gas 7. Stir all the ingredients for the spice mix together in a large bowl.
- When the chickpeas are cooked, drain and pat them dry with kitchen paper. Combine the cooked chickpeas with the spice mix, tossing to make sure they are evenly coated. Spread out on a baking tray in a single layer.
- Roast for 30–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
Note: I prefer the taste and texture of fresh chickpeas (plus they are much cheaper), but you can use tinned chickpeas as a shortcut. Use two 400g tins, drain and rinse well, then proceed from step 3.
