Peeling Garbanzos: The Experiment (photo)
I bought some cans of garbanzos over at Trader Joe's the other day and the jar of tahini I ordered arrived today, so I'm all set! (Tahini is really expensive at the one local market where I found it, so I ordered it online.)
I read Jessy's comment on Shaun's post about "Hummus Fat Free" --about peeling the garbanzos. Wasn't sure if Jessy was teasing or not (they are small little beans, y'know), so started looking on line, and yuppers, like Jessy suggested, some folks recommend peeling them.
Peeling them was time consuming. However, look at all the "skins" they shedded! When I feel the skins, they don't really seem all that palatable, but I have made hummus from canned garbanzos before and I guess they get whirred up with the rest of the stuff.
Does anyone else peel their garbanzos? Lpink--did you peel yours after you cooked them?
Smiles,
Sooz
I don't bother peeling garbanzos, but I definitely peel fava beans. I don't buy canned garbanzos, but I have bought canned fava beans, although normally I buy dried. I buy fresh favas if I'm making falafel.
I buy tahini at a Lebanese market, and it is much cheaper there than any other place I've found. Any Middle Eastern market should have tahini at a decent price, and that is also where I buy garbanzos, favas, and olive oil.
I'm not sure what you're making, but tahini is not fat free. I add toasted sesame seed oil to my hummus, and so I am going the other direction from fat free.
Lars
I missed that hummus post and peeling garbanzos is new to me. It makes me think of hominy, in which removal of skins from corn kernels is one of the purposes (although not the only one) of processing the corn that way. I wonder how far the analogy goes.
Jim
Ok!! That did it!! I am going to make me some hummus right now!!!!!
And I'm not going to peel the beans.
I have been on a hummus binge lately...this is the longest I have been with out...but what I have found is that Goya beans are head and shoulders above any other brand.
off I go...!
Oh no you di - ent!!!!!
OMG I thought Jessica was kidding about peeling them! You really peeled all those??
It depends on the beans. Some of the wet ones (jar or can) don't have the peels on. Most of the dry ones don't either. I don't obsessively peel them, but I do rinse them, and if there are loose peels I'll put my hands in the colander and rub them around to loosen them. Put the colander into a bowl of water and the peels will float. That gets most of the peels out and isn't all that work of peeling each one.
There's nothing wrong with the peels, but loose ones don't cut up unless you totally puree them, and they stick in the teeth and are otherwise unpleasant. The ones that are stuck on well enough to not come off when rubbed around generally fall apart when you mash the beans, or float to the top if you're cooking them whole.
Yummy yummy....skins and all...extra fiber...
I used a chili powder from world market that had a lot of cumin in it.
Lars, I wasn't making the fat free stuff...just thought I'd peel the garbanzos for a change and because I never did it before.
Shaun, oh jace ah di-id ! Hey, I'm retired and can do things like that now lol
Linda, I always find hummus is a wonderful snack, on a finger or on a spoon :O)
Jim, I'm including a link to the post I referenced.
Here is a link that might be useful: Hummus - recent original thread
LOL! I remember the first time I heard about peeling them - a friend cooked pasta w/garbanzos for a dinner. She didn't like serving/eating a dish that might have had floating skins for aesthetic reasons. It's just an idea that stuck with me and I enjoy 'infecting' others bwahaha.
And my daughter thought I was obsessive for de-stinging celery. I'll have to pull this one on her.
I'm with you Shaun!
I de-string celery. What about it. ;)
I like the strings in celery. Then I don't have to floss.
Can't say I've ever noticed but a few peels in canned bonzo beans...I generally buy S&W, maybe that's why? I don't think I've seen them on the dried ones I soak, either. I did buy some fresh once, and they had the skins (as well as the pod) but quite tender, so peeling them wasn't an issue.
I've peeled frozen peas before and that's all I'm gonna say.
@ fori..........AH HA HA HA HA!! :D
I dunno, RachelEllen, I've purchased S&W in the past and found loads of skins! Maybe you got the lucky central valley garbanzo cans!
:O)
Hmmm....or maybe I'm just not all that observant...I've never made a point to look for them, after all. :D
I can honestly say I've never thought about peeling Garbanzos before, but after looking at that colander, I think I will in the future. Those skins really do NOT look appetizing!
Thanks for the infor LOLOLOLOLOLOL!
Alexa
Do you peel your grapes, too? ;)
I have peeled them before. Someone had said they thought the hummus came out much better that way, so I gave it a try. I wasn't positive whether it was better or not.
The S&W's from Costco haven't many skins, but the Trader Joes are a disaster - they are small, irregular, chalky and have lots of peels.
Here's what I do - put them in a strainer bowl that fits in a larger bowl (I have a set built like this I at at a Japanese store). Fill the bowls with water, swish, swish, swish those peels off. Fish the peeled ones out and set aside, leaving the unpeeled ones in the bowl along with the peels.
I'm never buying these at TJs again. PIA.
Hey --
Just wanted to jump in here and say that I made hummus this weekend, and peeled the beans -- BY FAR the smoothest hummus I've ever created. And peeling two 15 ounce cans took maybe 10 minutes, done while watching TV. I'll peel them for hummus from now on...
Emily