The United Nations has designated 2016 the International Year of the Pulses. What better reason to nibble on crunchy spicy chickpeas? Yes, chickpeas are a legume, also known as gram, or Bengal gram, garbanzo or garbanzo bean, and sometimes known as Egyptian pea. Whatever you want to call them, they are packed full of nutrients – rich in protein, dietary fiber, folate, and certain dietary minerals such as iron and phosphorus.
Kapha Dosha
Today’s recipe for Crispy Roasted Curry Chickpeas is one that offers a kick with every bite. It has a bit of a flavor from the East with Curry Powder and Garam Masala. With this innovative blend of flavors combined with chickpeas, Crispy Roasted Curry Chickpeas are light, dry, warming, and well spiced – just the characteristics of foods that calm Kapha energy by balancing mucous production, regulating moisture levels, maintaining adequate heat, and by supporting proper digestion and elimination.
Kapha energy is heavy, oily, and cold. To keep it in balance it’s best to favor foods that are light, dry, or warm. Foods with pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes are most beneficial for pacifying Kapha. A liquid fast one day per week, ingesting only fresh vegetable and fruit juices, and pureed vegetable soup is also recommended for those who are dominated by Kapha. Reduce the intake of dairy, which tends to increase Kapha, however you can use small amounts of ghee, low-fat milk, and low-fat yogurt.
Because Kapha is so substantive in nature, an appropriate diet is actually one of the most effective ways to reel it in. Kapha thrives on a fairly minimalistic diet with smaller meals, fewer sweets, an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well a variety of legumes. As a matter of fact, all beans are good for Kapha types except for soybeans and soybean-based foods such as tofu, which should be eaten in moderation.
So, here is a recipe that uses the slightest bit of ghee, warm spices, and beans for your Kapha – Crispy Roasted Curry Chickpeas.
Crispy Roasted Curry Chickpeas
Ingredients
1 cup cooked chickpeas (or 1 can organic garbanzo beans, no salt)
1 tablespoon melted ghee
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
salt (to taste)
Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Rinse chickpeas and let them air dry for a few minutes.
Place in a bowl and mix with ghee until evenly coated.
Add curry powder, garam masala, and salt. Mix well until evenly coated.
Place evenly on a baking tray. Roast for 30 minutes, mixing every 10 minutes until they are golden and crunchy.
Toss these into a salad or eat them just as they are. They are simply yummy! Be sure the join me tomorrow for Deepak Chopra’s Sacred Momentum: The Devine Method To Creating Your Best Year Yet.