You’ve probably had chick peas or garbanzo beans at some point in your life, but have you ever had curry-fried chick peas? No? Then it’s time for you to be enlightened!

It’s snack time, kids!

Have I ever posted a snack recipe on my blog? My sources (i.e., me looking back on my blog posts) tell me that is a no. Well, that’s about to change! The curry-fried chick peas recipe is super simple and is packed with protein! 5g per 1/2 cup, to be exact.

The thing is, this recipe isn’t about the amount of stuff it takes to make it happen. No, it’s about the process, the way it is made. And also how it’s going to make your house smell like curry powder. It’s a good thing I love curry.

I mean, really, curry comes in a lot of different forms, flavors, and degrees of heat. My personal favorite is curry madras. Just a little bit of spice, but a whole lot of flavor. But use whichever curry powder you like! The sky is the limit.

This recipe for curry-fried chick peas was created on a restless night.

I wish this was me being poetic, but I’m actually serious on this one. Once upon a time, I had no idea what I was going to eat for dinner. I wanted to make something, but I also didn’t want to deal with the mess. Such is life.

I ended up eating the curry-fried chick peas for dinner. Halfway through the batch, I realized that I was on my way to eating a whole can of chick peas by myself! I won’t say this was the best dinner choice in the world, but it got me eating. And thinking.

Curry-fried chick peas would make a great snack! 

Something was off about this recipe, however.

I knew the recipe was right, but the process was not. Wet, canned chick peas fried in a pan made an awful mess. So I thought, maybe dried chick peas would be better for this. Because they were dry, the chick peas could be hydrated however much I wanted them to be!

But alas, that was wrong too. Two pounds of garbanzo beans sacrificed their life for food science. 

No matter how much I tried to hydrate them, they were just too dry for the task. I wanted to make them crunchier than what you would get out of a can, but it just didn’t work that way. On the same token, however, being able to use canned beans means you’ll be able to get your curry-fried chick peas all the more sooner. 🙂

Seven surely is the number of completion, because that’s how many different trials I had before finding the perfect method! I had my jaws in this problem, and I wasn’t going to give up so easily.

The winner? Canned, dried-off chick peas, fried in a wok. Yes, a wok. I wish I had thought of it sooner.

Due to their shape, using a wok meant that the beans could cook quickly on the outside but get heated and stay soft on the inside. Perfect!

A few tips before I give you my recipe…

dry off your beans.

Rinse them, and then pat the beans down as best as you can with some paper towels. Just whatever you do, don’t put the beans in wet with the oil. Water and oil don’t mix well and it will cause all the curry powder to stick and burn on the bottom. It will not only cause a huge mess but your beans won’t be seasoned or cooked properly. I found out (the hard way) that drying off your beans makes a huge difference!

Use canola or some other flavor-neutral, more heat-resistant oil.

I tried cooking the beans in with olive oil, and that was a serious mistake! Extra-virgin olive oil wasn’t made for wok frying, but for more dressings and cooking at a lower temperature. E.V.O.O. has a very delicate flavor and low smoke point, meaning you could destroy the flavor of the oil and smoke out your house very easily. I use canola oil for most of my frying and baking, but use whatever works for you. You can read more about oils and their smoke points here.

Cook them on a medium-low heat.

It seems kind of counterproductive with a wok, doesn’t it? Just do it. We want to warm the chick peas, not burn them!

Planning on trying this one out for yourself? Don’t forget to snap a pic and use #fooddrinkslife the next time you post it to social media so I can check it out!

Cheers!

Gem

Curry-Fried Chick Peas

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With 4 ingredients and 5g of protein a serving, curry-fried chick peas are a treat you’ll have to try for yourself!

Yields: about 3 servings

• 1 can (15 oz.) Garbanzo beans or chick peas
• 2 Tbsp. neutral oil (like canola)
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder, any kind
• Salt, to taste

Drain, rinse, and dry off chick peas, making sure there is as little water on the surface of the beans as possible. Set aside.

Add oil to a wok and set to medium-low heat (320⁰F-340⁰F).

Once heated, add chick peas and curry powder. Stir frequently until the beans become crispy on the outside, 10-15 minutes. Take off heat and salt to taste, and stir until salt is evenly distributed.

Pour into a serving bowl and serve immediately.

• Preparation time: 2 minutes
• Cook time: 10-15 minutes
• Total time: 20 minutes