Simple to prepare, delicious and nutritious, this traditional Arab Gulf dish has a centuries-old place in the cuisine of the Arabian Gulf. At times, broad beans are substituted for the chickpeas, and the dish is called Bajelah; at other times, black-eyed peas are substituted, and the dish is called Luba. Unlike fresh vegetables, dried pulses have been available in the souks of the Arabian Peninsula for centuries. For many they were more important than fish or meat the mainstays of the people of the Arabian Gulf. I love the unique flavor combination of cumin and dried lime with chickpeas. For this recipe I prefer to use dried chickpeas because the longer cooking time allows the flavor of the dried lime to be drawn out, along with the spices. But if you’re in a rush, or you don’t have dried lime on hand, I’ve also provided a short-cut version that uses already cooked (canned) chickpeas and lemon juice.
SERVES: about 8
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
SOAKING TIME: 24 hours
COOKING TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups (400 g) dried chickpeas, soaked for 24 hours in 6 cups (1.5 liters) water in which 1/2 teaspoon baking soda has been dissolved, and drained
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 11/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 1 dried lime
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the drained chickpeas in a large saucepan with a lid. Cover with water to about 2 inches (5 cm) over the chickpeas and stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour, or until the chickpeas become tender, adding more water if necessary.
- Remove the lime and discard. Serve the Al-Nikhi in individual shallow soup bowls with its stock.
VARIATIONS:
QUICK METHOD FOR AL-NIKHI:
- Place all the ingredients for Al-Nikhi into a pot, but replace the dried chickpeas with two 19-oz (583-g) cans of chickpeas, drained, and omit the baking soda and dried lime. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice and serve in shallow bowls with the liquid.
