Botanical Name:
Chickpea
Cicer arietinum (Fabaceae)
General Description/History:
Chickpea probably originated in Turkey.
Chickpeas have been grown for thousands of years in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions and have been found in archaeological sites dating back to 3500 BC.
Chickpea is a member of the pea family, chickpeas are small (5 to 10 mm) rounded peas with a yellow/beige colour and a distinctive groove down the middle of one side.
There are 2 types: Kabuli, grown in temperate regions like northern Victoria, and Desi, which is grown in semi-arid to tropical regions.
Chickpeas have a wide variety of uses: they are eaten fresh as green vegetables, fried, roasted, or boiled; they can be ground and the flour can be used as soup, dhal, or to make bread. Dhal is the split chickpea without its seedcoat, dried and cooked into a thick soup.
Availability:
All Year
Growing Areas:
Victoria & New South Wales
