The answer is clearly “yes,” unfortunately. But one more recipe for the local legume won’t kill you. And this one doesn’t have anything funny in it like mango powder. The best part? Garlic slices that turn sweet in the broth. You can slow-cook or oven-bake this dish. And though I skipped the saffron threads, feel free to toss ’em in if you like that metallic, liquid soap taste. I’d also add the turmeric, though, for digestion. Sometimes turmeric is just there to be the poor man’s saffron, but I like the more neutral flavour (or, rather, the lack of saffron flavour and the bloat-reducing magic of it). And if you don’t like the thickness of this stew-like dish, add more broth and turn it into soup, as I did when I originally miscalculated how much broth to add to the adapted slow-cooker version…
Baked or Slow-cooked Whole Yellow Peas (or Chickpeas)
adapted from the Essential New York Times Cookbook
3 tbsp sunflower oil (or olive or hazelnut)
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
6 cloves garlic, finely sliced (I think “finely” is thinner that “thinly.” I think)
1 dried chile, cracked open and seeds removed
2 bay leaves (super important for digestion, as well as tradition)
1 tbsp coriander seeds.
3 cups yellow whole peas (or chickpeas), soaked in cold water at least 8 hours, and drained)
5-6 cups broth (4 cups if you use a slow-cooker)
10 saffron threads (optional)
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
If using oven, preheat to 450F. In a large (preferably oven-proof) pot heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions through bay leaves. Stir and cook 5 minutes.
Add whole yellow peas, broth (5-6 cups for baking, 4 for slow-cooking), saffron, turmeric, salt, pepper and bring to boil. Skim off scum that rises to the top when it boils.
Oven method: Cover and place pot in oven for 50 minutes, until beans are soft. If they’re not cooked after that (they may take longer if the beans are old), cook longer. You may need to add another cup or so of broth, but make sure it’s boiling when you add it or it will take even longer to bake and be absorbed.
Slow-cooking method: Transfer contents of pot to slow-cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours (4 if beans are fairly fresh, 6 if old) or low for 8-10 (8 if new, 10 if old. A little extra never hurts. It’s not like meat where you can overcook it. So if you’ve got the extra time, use it).
Taste and add salt if necessary, but if you used a commercial broth, powder or cube, you could have a pretty high sodium content already. Just a heads up. Might be better to just serve the dish with something bright, like a chutney, a pickle (not just cucumber – think sweet-pickled fennel) or a couple of olives.
Serve with crusty bread, rice or pita. I didn’t, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t have been a good idea. If I could have, I would have.
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