I always thought the name chickpeas would have some strange village story behind it, perhaps they were fed to chickens in the Middle Ages to fatten them or were brown rather than green and therefore only fit for chickens. Turns out the name comes from the French ‘chiche’, which comes from the Latin ‘cicer’ which makes naming them sound like a Latin classification exercise. Or at least that’s what I read in Wikipedia which isn’t the most trustworthy, or romantic, source of information. They are also called garbanzo beans, which might be Basque for ‘dry seed’.

People have been eating them for years. They were found in levels pre-dating the use of pottery in Jericho, which claims to be the world’s oldest city (it says so on the sign as you drive through). They’ve been found in Neolithic settlements in Turkey, Greece and France, where they were carbon dated to around 6790 BC. They were a staple in Classical Greece and among the Romans, who made them into soup, or roasted them as snacks. They were considered to promote production of sperm, and milk, and helpful in treating kidney stones.

Nicholas Culpeper, a botanist and herbalist who lived in 17th century England considered them less ‘windy’ than peas, and more nourishing. Interpret that as you please.

There are two main types:

• Desi (chhola boot) are smaller darker seeds grown mostly in the Indian subcontinent, though this is the type found in most archaeological sites. Channa dhal is made from desi which also has a higher fibre content
• Kabuli (safed chana) are the lighter, larger seeds with a smoother coat grown in Europe, North Africa, Pakistan and Afghanistan
• Chickpeas are also grown in Queensland from where they are exported to India. Indians just can’t get enough and apparently, Australians don’t like them very much.

Once cooked, chickpeas can be eaten in salads, stews and curries, or made into soups or spreads such as hummus (the Arabic word for chickpeas). They can be roasted and spiced, and some varieties can be popped, like popcorn.

Chickpeas are a source of zinc, folate, phosphorus and protein. They are low in fat. Studies have shown they can assist in lowering cholesterol in the bloodstream. They contain saponins, which lower the risk of breast cancer, protect against osteoporosis and minimise hot flushes in post-menopausal women. They also contain purines which can lead to excess accumulation of uric acid, causing gout and kidney stones. Avoid if you are sensitive.