Thursday, February 8, 2024

Chickpea bread, yoga and an angel unawares

 I needed bread after the naan was finished, so I thought I'd venture on chickpea bread and discovered one recipe with soda water, which I don't have and wasn't about to drive in search of, and one with psyllium powder ditto, but I tried that anyway. 


The dough was very liquid probably because no psyllium which I think makes a gel like effect. So I added a cup of whole wheat flour, and it turned into dough, as you see, about to sit and rise

It didn't rise much, but after waiting an hour, I slashed it anyway, and baked it


It came out pretty edible, good crumb though different from wheat bread

and it tastes very much of chickpea. I had a couple of buttered slices with afternoon pot of tea. I think it will toast well. If I'd wanted to be  gluten free, I'd have used oats instead of the wheat flour. I might try that another time.


And this is who greeted me at the dumpster. I entertained an angel unaware, evidently. Looks like a son of toil, in a ton of soil.

I took part in a podcast last evening with a group of Spoutible friends, all following the latest Sussex (Harry and Meghan) gossip, all supporters of their good works, some raising funds to support special projects. 

It was pure indulgence, chatting with people I agreed with! Sometimes that's good, a change from challenging your beliefs, which some of us conscientious types feel obliged to do in the cause of living a meaningful life.

If course we also need rest,  relaxation, meditation. And yoga


happy day,  everyone, do it your way! Or your ancestors' way, puzzle clue incoming there..




34 comments:

  1. I admire your willingness to just go ahead and try things in the kitchen - my fear of food waste looms large in these matters, and every now and then it is reinforced by a flop I cannot even give to the hens. I'll wager your success rate is much higher than mine, though! And I don't know if you have potato starch on hand, but after I bought a bag of it for the scrambled egg trick (blogged about this a little while back), I was told gluten-free bakers use it to provide the "glue" effect otherwise provided by gluten. Or glue-ten. Heh.

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    1. Potato starch was an option, which I also don't have, but they also suggested cornstarch which I did have. Probably the same glue idea.

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  2. A son of toil in a ton of soil. You’re a poet but you don’t know it. But your feet show it ’cause they’re long fellows. I’ve told you before, anything with chickpeas and I’m in.

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  3. "I don't have any bread, so I'll just make some from some obscure recipe." Amazing.

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  4. I admire your bread-making experiments. Your latest loaf looks good to me.

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    1. It's okay, I've had better, but it's edible. I had thought that if it didn't work out I'd reduce it to breadcrumbs instead of panko.

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  5. Any homemade bread looks good to me - - especially with butter and a cup of tea.
    " A son of toil in a ton of soil" made me smile. And that isn't easy.

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    1. I think making Jon smile means my day's work here is done! Very happy to hear it.

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  6. I liked chickpea pasta, so I suppose I'd probably like the bread. You are adventurous in the kitchen.

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    1. It's just another chickpea flour test drive. I was thinking flatbread then I decided slicing bread was a good idea.

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  7. I have been wanting to make chickpea bread, but can't bring myself to buy the flour. I want a recipe that uses the peas themselves. However, you bread looks fabulous. I am going shopping tomorrow and will look for the flour. Have a nice day today.

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    1. I had to find mine online, at Bob's Red Mill. It's worth a try.

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    2. You should be able to make the flour with dried garbanzos put into a blender. I make whole grain einkorn flower with einkorn wheat berries. Works like a charm. The wheat berries are farro, so they can be cooked like rice and are delicious. Or, just buy the flour!

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    3. Nope. I tried that back when I was experimenting with grinding seeds and other things. Unless you have milling equipment, the best you can do is chickpea meal, too coarse for this purpose. The flour is ultra fine.

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  8. Could you have just used baking soda and mixed that into water?
    I like chickpeas. Don’t know if I’d like breqd that tastes like them.
    It’s great that you like to experiment. You never know what wonderful recipes you’ll discover

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    1. I don't know the content of soda water, so I don't know if it would be similar. The bread is interesting and will be very good with tuna salad, since that's a combo I do already with whole chickpeas.

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  9. Harry flew a long way for a very short visit. Seems his father had to go away.

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  10. Good result with the bread! Well done, Boud.

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  11. I find the portrayal of the Sussex's in the States very different from the UK and Australia.

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    1. As far as I know they're not on the radar in the US. I'm seeing coverage in the UK.

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  12. I second/third/fourth everyone's admiration for your kitchen creativity, Boud. Your Spoutibles group chat sounds refreshing in all ways.

    Chris from Boise
    PS Crocuses suddenly popped up and are blooming - no forewarning, just POP here we are! And the witch-hazel is blooming away in its naked glory.

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    1. I missed the witch hazel this year, weather keeping me from walking far enough to where it grows. It's usually a January find. Crocuses are lovely, and squirrels routinely eat our bulbs. If any survive, they're torn apart by robins who love the pollen inside. I'm guessing it's great late winter food in the absence of insects. So I admire pictures of crocus.

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  13. I have eaten chickpeas as a snack, in salads and stews, but never in bread. I bet it’s good though!

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    1. The flour is commonly used in other cultures, often for flatbread. I wonder if you've eaten it on your travels without knowing there was chickpea flour in the flatbread?

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  14. we often get canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans) that the food bank sends to SHARE. we give them out but they often get returned as a donation I guess because people here don't know what to do with them. I admit I've never eaten any (as in canned beans) and don't buy them though I love middle eastern food in which they are a staple.

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    1. I like a salad of canned tuna, chickpeas, capers and vinegar. In fact chickpeas can be added to soups, stews, green salads. They're a great vegetable protein

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  15. So did the angel come home with you?
    Bread making (of the raisin) variety is happening here as we speak. I expressed a hankering for raisin bread so RC is obliging. Sourdough of course.

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    1. The angel is still out there. I can't do sourdough. Something about it makes an unbearable electric shock type thing in my teeth. But I hear people love it.

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