One of the world's most popular and versatile beans, Garbanzo Beans or Chickpeas are small, knobby, beige natural wonders about 3/8 inch round. They have a delicious nutty flavour and firm texture. Garbanzos are a classic bean used in Indian and Mediterranean dishes, and ground garbanzos have a world of applications. From Chana to Cece, Chickpeas are world travelers In Italy, Chickpeas are also known as "cece." In India, they are called "chana". Garbanzos are believed to have come from Mesopotamia circa about 5000 BC. Chickpeas ground into a nutritious flour are used in many Indian recipes, and this flour is called "gram" flour. Garbanzo beans (like most legumes) are prized for their fiber content. But chickpeas are especially beneficial fiber-wise - just two cups provides a typical entire Daily Value! Recent studies indicate that even eating small amounts of garbanzo bean fiber benefits the digestive tract, improving blood sugar control, and helping to protect the colon and intestinal wall. Tasty Tips and Storage Chickpeas hold their shape very well when cooked; this has made them "a standard" for bean salads, Indian curries and minestrone. Ground Garbanzo beans yield a nutritious flour for fritters, dumplings and bread, and garbanzos pureed with Tahini nut butter, lemon juice and olive oil creates the famous Hummus spread. Garbanzo beans can be cooked without soaking in anywhere from 40 minutes to several hours, depending on your method of cooking. They work well in a slow-cooker without soaking. However, consider pre-soaking chickpeas and discarding soaking water before cooking if you experience digestive problems after eating beans. Garbanzo beans can also be pressure-cooked in 1/2 hour or boiled, covered, for 1-1/2 hours. Like most stored foods, beans are best stored in the absence of oxygen and light, which can speed rancidity and fade bean colour. Store in a cool dark pantry in our resealable bags or an airtight container. Refrigerated/frozen storage isn't recommended for dried beans, which will last for a year or more properly stored in the pantry.