Ben found a bag of dried chickpeas in the pantry. He decided to make some chickpea snacks that he used to have in his childhood. In the old days in Kuala Lumpur, we had mobile Indian snacks trader who sell peanuts, chickpeas, etc. They used old newspapers or magazine to roll into a cone as the packaging material for the products.

We called them “kacang puteh man” because when they come to a residential area, they will shout “kacang puteh” to promote their presence. They are often found outside the cinemas, school, wet market, etc.

Ingredients

• 20 ounces dried chickpeas or a large can chickpeas
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Source: this recipe is adapted from itdoesnttastelikechicken.com

Instructions

If you are using dried chickpeas, soak them in water for at least 5 to 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Drain the chickpeas. If using can ones, rinse them under cold running tap water.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then.

Remove the pan from the oven and place the chickpeas in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil.

In another small bowl, combine the chili powder, thyme and salt.

Add the seasonings to the chickpeas and toss well to coat evenly. Spread the seasoned chickpeas back onto the baking sheet and return to the oven to bake for another 15 to 30 minutes or until they are golden and your desired crispiness. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit before enjoying. I found that some of the chickpeas kind of exploded in the oven and fell to the bottom of the oven. Remember to clean up your oven after it has cool completely.