saviruchisavita : December 2013

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Kadale Kaalu

Wooo... Winter is here.. Its a favorite time of the year for vegetable shopping. We get healthier n plumper vegetables with bright colors which attracts passersby.

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum) Kadale Kaalu is a legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. Its seeds are high in protein. It is one of the earliest cultivated legumes: 7,500-year-old remains have been found in the Middle East.

Other common names for the species include garbanzo bean, ceci bean, sanagalu, channa ,Bengal gram and Kadale Kaalu.

Nutrition-
Chickpeas are an excellent source of the essential nutrients, iron, folate, phosphorus, protein and dietary fiber (USDA nutrient table). They are low in fat and most of this is polyunsaturated. The nutrient profile of the smaller variety appears to be different, especially for fiber content which is higher than in the larger light colored variety of Channa. Possibly resulting from this nutrient richness, preliminary research has shown that chickpea consumption may lower blood cholesterol.

Foods high in fat or protein don't cause your blood sugar level to rise much. But the problem, many experts believe, is that people with diabetes should limit how much fat and protein they eat.
Because of their high protein content, chick peas are increasingly used as animal feed especially for Horses.

Fresh Chickpea / Hara Chana / Hasiru kadale.

Fresh green chickpeas are the winter food that tastes super good. Popular seasonal treat of India, fresh ones are a true delight. Their sweet nutty flavor makes them a great snack. They are roundish, beige to light green in colour. They look, feel and taste like a fresh vegetable.
This is best eaten raw or roasted.

Health Benefits

The green chick peas have a wealth of nutrients like energy, protein, calcium and iron

How to Store Refrigerate them in a perforated plastic bag for up to three days. Store shelled beans, tightly wrapped in plastic, in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Dry Chana dal.
We can use Channa dal / Kadale kalu & make many recipes. Here is one for you. Channa dal chatney Pudi. This is a Dry chateny powder & its very famous in North Karnataka, Andhra as well as in Maharashtra. You can store this for more than a month.

Dal Chatny Pudi. / Gun powder.