They're touted as a health food, and rightly so, which means you can feel good about your hunk of burning love for the pulse with the most.
It has to be said: , our in-house , has her finger on the pulse. This dish first appeared on the menu during her days at Berta. is one of many reasons we love thee, oh humble chickpea.
Patience will get you far – in life and in the kitchen. This , known as dizi or abgoosht is a three-hour affair, resulting in an unbeatable two-course meal. Confused? After cooking, the soup is strained and enjoyed first, followed by the meat, potato and pulses, which are mashed and served with , yoghurt and . 
Source: Feast magazine
Loud and proud chickpea fans will claim this as their go-to snack. Food blogger Bethany Kehdy is no exception and even confesses to soaking a batch weekly so there's never a shortage of hummus in her fridge. Ever the purist, she prefers soaked to canned, but no judging! Served warm, this is the perfect winter’s dish.
Source: Sarka Babicka
, shut the front door. This adds a welcome spin on the regular deal, as it's made with roasted chickpeas, which give it a distinct flavour. Once your are seared and smokin', smother them in Shane's magical emulsion of toasty chickpeas and tahini.
Syrian-style hummus, as shown on Shane Delia's Spice Journey. Source: Shane Delia's Spice Journey
This bread is made from chickpea (gram) flour, water and oil and, when cooked right, it is crispy on the outside with a warm and soft centre. This is one way to start your dinner party with a vibrant bang.
Source: Hardie Grant Books / David Frenkiel
Nutty chickpeas make a wonderful contrast to other textures and keep the paprika in check in this hearty . But there is no cloying mayo dressing in this potato salad – instead, a slightly sharp-sweet herbal concoction.
Source: Murdoch Books
Proud Filipinos will tout forever of the wonders of their national dessert, , which means "mix-mix", after the requisite stirring involved. In short, it's a carnival of flavours and textures, namely taro ice-cream, shaved ice, milk, fruit jellies and, most surprisingly, cooked chickpeas. Watch Peter Kuruvita give it a go .
We heart snacks, . So it was a welcome find when let loose with Matthew Evans' . Roasted till sporadically golden, it’s a wonderful way to make over this beloved winter veg. While we're on the topic, has been known to stun tastebuds.
Without getting into particulars, chickpeas served with fried Indian bread already has our attention. This recipe for is Pamela Timms' (of blog ) domestic-kitchen version of the famous Indian street snack. Make a big batch, we're comin' over.
Source: Feast magazine
Simple dumplings cooked in a tasty yoghurt and tomato sauce - count us in ! Plain rice to serve and a will do the trick in mopping it all up.
Source: Quadrille / Martin Pool
O Tama Carey does it again. These little fritters are like a light and fresh spring falafel and these are soft and spiced, served with a slightly hot sesame dipping sauce.
Broad bean and chickpea fritters with roasted sesame seeds Source: China Squirrel
Tagines require very little input - the pot does most of the work for you. Mark our words: 's will have you at first bite, with its fork-tender meat, supple chickpeas and honey-spiked caramelised onions.
Tfaya with lamb tagine and couscous Source: Feast Magazine / Chris Chen
If it's your first time making vego burgers, may we recommend our foolproof ? Heck, make a double batch and freeze the leftovers (they’ll keep well for two months). For the vegans out there, ditch the yoghurt for salsa or tomato chutney.
We're all for things that make you go crunch! Atop that list are these , which are a specialty of the Cádiz province in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia.
Spanish prawn fritters (tortillitas de camarones) Source: Chris Chen
Break up with your local take-out joint and lap up the superb curries of at home. Case in point, this recipe is surprisingly easy (once you track down black salt), and its deliciousness a result of black tea, tamarind and a heady mix of garam masala and cumin.
Traditionally, these are made using pureed, freshly cooked chestnuts, although in some parts of Southern Italy, mashed chickpeas or ground almonds are used. Often they're deep-fried, and dipped in honey or rolled in cinnamon-flavoured sugar once cooked and has us making 64 sensational pastries oh, and did we mention there's chocolate in there as well!
Chickpea and chocolate pastries (tortellini de ceci) Source: China Squirrel
You know that liquid that comes with canned chickpeas? Don't toss it! It actually turns into an emulsifier and foaming agent when whipped for long enough, making it an excellent egg white substitute in vegan baking. Known as “aquafaba” (Latin for “bean water”), the liquid can be used in nougat, macarons and these deliciously .
Meringues can be considered to have an ethereal quality. Source: China Squirrel
This Indian chickpea fudge (besan ki brufi) showcases the earthy flavour of besan flour (chickpea flour) mixed with ghee and condensed milk.
Want more? Check out our complete chickpea collection .
Source: Brett Stevens
Have we got your attention and your tastebuds? Brand-new series airs 8pm, Thursdays on SBS then on . For recipes and more visit the program site
