Chickpea

Also known as a garbanzo bean or chick-pea, this legume is a round, tan-colored bean with a slightly nutty flavor, that is a member of the pea family. It is used as an ingredient in soups, side dishes, and dips as a popular ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine. When it is dried it is marketed as a lentil or ground and processed into garbanzo bean flour for use in baked goods. It is also often roasted into a nut-like form to be added to salads, marsalas and other food dishes. Channa is a Middle Eastern name used to refer to this lentil that is used to make dishes such as channa bhatura or pindi channa. When roasted, it is referred to as channa roti.