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Roasted Chickpeas – Chai Time Snacking Made Healthy

Roasted Chickpeas - Chai Time Snacking Made Healthy

Tea time is a whole phenomenon in India. Sure we’re picky about how we like our tea, but we’re also super picky about the snacks that go with it! From pakoras to murukku, there are a whole bunch of favourites when it comes to tea time snacks. While these are delicious, they aren’t really healthy. Air Fried Chickpeas help bridge the gap between healthy and tasty snacks!

Chickpeas are a vegetarian’s best friend. They’re a great source of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Since they have a low glycemic index, they’re particularly great for diabetics and people trying to manage their blood sugar levels. My dad’s a diabetic, but a diabetic who loves to snack! I developed this recipe as a way to control his tea time indulgences and it’s been quite a success! 

EQUIPMENT

I had all but given up on air frying when I got the Wonderchef Prato Air Fryer Digital. So when I say that it made me change my mind, I don’t mean that lightly! Traditionally you would make these in the oven, but that takes considerably longer. At least 45 minutes to an hour. With an air fryer, you’re looking at about 20-25 minutes. That in itself is enough for me to want to switch. How do you justify taking an hour to make a snack that will be polished off in less than 10 minutes? 

My last two recipes in the air fryer – brownies and apple crumble, were ones that were pretty mess-free. Apart from cleaning out some stray oat crumbs, it barely made a mess. The Prato air fryer performed great on both occasions but I wanted to try a recipe straight in the basket. Now, a feature that I previously loved, the little hole in the centre of the tray that allows you to remove it easily, suddenly turned out to be a problem. After a generous rub of spices, olive oil and lime juice, I popped these into the basket and immediately lost a few chickpeas down that hole! Shaking the air fryer basket is the most fun part of the cook and I knew I could lose a few more then. Where there’s a will, there’s definitely a way and all it took was a scrunched up piece of baking paper to fix my little issue! 

A great assist to air fryer cooking is an oil sprayer and this Stay Fit Oil Sprayer allows you to use preferred oil. It also makes a little bit of oil go a long way, something that’s great whether you’re using an air fryer or a pan. This recipe is super easy and while you don’t need much in the way of appliances, since we’re making a snack, it’s always great to have little snack bowls! I am in love with Wonderchef’s new Home and Living range, particularly the Amalfiee Handmade Absolute Mehran Soup Bowls, which would be fantastic for this recipe! 

I’ve used lime, chilli powder and salt on my chickpeas but  as always, you can use whatever spice you like. Garlic powder, cumin, peri peri, pepper, the list is endless! Pick your favourite and get snacking! 

RECIPE CARD

Serves 2 
Time: Soaking: Overnight 
Cooking Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients 

  • ½ cup Dried Chickpeas 
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 
  • ½ – ¾ tsp Chilli Powder 
  • 1 tsp Salt 
  • 1 Lime 

Method:

  1. Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight. 
  2. Discard the soaked water and place chickpeas into a pressure cooker with enough water to cover them. 
  3. Place on high heat until 1 whistle and then reduce the heat to low and cook for 5-7 minutes until chickpeas are cooked. 
  4. Drain the chickpeas and allow them to cool. 
  5. Mix the chickpeas with the oil, chilli powder, lime and salt. 
  6. Place into the air fryer and cook at 160c for 25 minutes or until the chickpeas are crunchy. 
  7. Allow them to cool slightly for maximum crunchiness! 
  8. Serve immediately.

Author:  Sneha Sundar is the creator of You Dim Sum, You Lose Some; a philosophy she adopts both in and out of the kitchen.

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