Delicious Chickpeas Soup or Channa Soup Recipe
Today, I will show you how to make a ridiculously easy vegan or vegetarian soup with chickpeas, which is also known in various parts of the world by other names such as, channa, garbanzo beans, bengal gram or Egyptian pea.
Delicious + Nutritious + Versatile = Chickpeas Soup
What I love most about chickpeas or channa soup (as it is called in the Caribbean) is that it is very simple to make and combines great taste with an astounding lot of nutrition!
Additionally, this gram soup is versatile. It can be used any time or season in the year; enjoyed by vegans, vegetarians or even temporarily fasting meat lovers. It can also be used for any type of meal - by itself for a brunch, lunch, dinner or as an appetizer in a multi-course meal. The possibilities are limitless!
Before I became a vegetarian, I always made chicken soup whenever I was ill or in low spirits. Now that I am a vegetarian, channa soup has become my vegetarian ‘chicken soup’ of choice to banish sickness and depression.
Nutritional Goodness
Interestingly, these unassuming beans help reduce cholesterol and avoid constipation while strengthening your nervous system? Chickpeas are also highly recommended for persons suffering from stress and depression and their protein content equals the amount found in meat and eggs (Encyclopedia of Foods and their Healing Power).
Great Taste
Whenever I cook channa soup, I am never able to stick to eating just one serving. You don’t have to take my word for it. Just try it yourself and you will see what I mean.
Ingredients for Chickpeas or Channa Soup
200 g Chickpeas or Channa (cooked)
½ cup White flour
½ cup Pre-cooked Yellow Corn Meal
2 tablespoons of Coconut Milk powder
2 sprigs Chive
1 sprig Parsley
1 teaspoon White Pepper
1 clove Garlic (finely chopped or grated)
¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt (or to your taste)
Servings: Serves 2 persons
Preparation Time: 30 - 40 minutes (once the chickpeas/channa have been soaked overnight)
Preparation Method for Chickpeas or Channa Soup (with accompanying photos):
§ Place the raw chickpeas (or channa) in a dish, pour water over the chickpeas (up to twice the level of the chick peas in the dish) and leave it soaking in the water overnight or for about eight (8) hours.
§ After soaking the channa in water overnight, throw out the water and wash the channa with clean water.
§ Place the swollen channa in a pressure cooker, with water just covering the channa, and pressure cook it for about 10 to 15 minutes.
§ While the chick peas are cooking, place the Corn Meal, White flour, Salt, Baking Powder and White Pepper in a bowl and mix together. Gradually add warm water to the mixture and knead into a round dough ball.
§ Divide the dough into smaller pieces, roll and shape them into dumplings of your desired size and/or shape and set aside.
§ Place 1 cup of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
§ Add the dumplings and cook for about 5 minutes.
§ Mix the Coconut Milk Powder in a little bit of warm water and pour into the boiling pot of water with dumplings.
§ Add the cooked channa and some finely chopped Garlic into the pot and allow the channa soup to cook for a further 10 minutes, stirring it occasionally. Add some more water boiling, if you find that your soup is getting too thick.
§ Spoon out the chickpeas soup into your favourite soup dish(es).
§ Finely chop the Chive and Parsley and sprinkle all over your finished bowl of soup, as an appetizing and eye-catching garnish.
§ (Optional): You can also add 1/2 tablespoon of Olive Oil for a zestier flavor. I always use olive oil in my soups.
§ Finally, get your soup spoon, ‘dig in’ and enjoy!
***Photo Credit & Copyright: All photos belong to the author of this blog, Heidi Vincent a.k.a. The Catholic Contributor and should not be copied or used without permission.
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Share with us, in the COMMENT section below: (a) When you’ll try this recipe or (2) After you’ve tried it, tell us if you liked it.
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