Chickpeas are soaked before boiling for two reasons – one, they need to be softened before they boil, and two, pre-soaking helps to make the beans more digestible. You can soak them quickly, as described below, or overnight if you prefer.
If you forget, you can simply start the cooking process, but expect them to take longer to cook than if you had soaked them first. It can take up to twice the time if you don't soak them first. The reason most people prefer to soak beans is: Soaking makes the beans cook faster.
Don't soak the chickpeas first.
There's no need, and they'll be too soft. Use chickpeas that are fresh and haven't been sitting in your pantry for years, for the best flavour and most desirable texture. (Super old beans and legumes can require hours of cooking and still not get soft.)
As the beans rehydrate, they triple in size — adding plenty of water is key. Soak the beans for 8 hours or overnight. After soaking the beans, you can cook them (see how below). For the quick soak method, add the beans to a large pot, cover them with several inches of water and bring them to a boil.
Place the bowl in the fridge and leave the chickpeas to soak overnight (anywhere from 8-24 hours). It's not recommended to soak chickpeas or other pulses in the fridge for much longer than 48 hours, as they may start to ferment. Drain the chickpeas, give them a quick rinse, and they're ready to cook (see below).
To quick soak the beans, you will need 1 hour. Place the chickpeas into the bottom of a large pot and cover with water. The chickpeas will expand to over double their size, so make sure you cover by several inches of water to allow for expansion.
Quick soaking method.
This takes only 1 hour before cooking. Put the chickpeas in a large pot and cover them with plenty of water, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the heat off, then cover and let the chickpeas soak for 1 hour or until softened.
If you forgot to soak your beans the night before you plan to cook them, the hot soak method can come to the rescue. Cover the beans with water, bring to a boil and boil for three minutes. Remove them from the heat and let them soak in the hot water for an hour. Then drain, rinse, add fresh water and cook.
The minerals in hard water can leave deposits on the beans, preventing them from softening . Solution: Use store-bought vegetable broth or bottled water. Acid. Never add anything acidic to the water when soaking or cooking chickpeas.
Soak chickpeas overnight, or for 6-8 hours. If using the quick soak method, put chickpeas into a saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and allow to cook for about 5 minutes, then remove from heat and cover.
The second option, and the one best for nights when you forgot to soak the chickpeas, is to quickly boil the chickpeas and then set them aside to soak for an hour. The chickpeas should be tender enough to break apart with your fingers, but still have a bite to them.
Chances are your beans are old. Old beans can seem to take forever to get soft. Cook them longer, making sure you are using plenty of water. Next time, if you have beans from the same source, soak for 48 hours.
Soaking beans can help improve the texture of the final product once the beans are cooked and reduce the gas produced when the food is being digested. But it isn't necessary to soak them.
Quick Soak.
This is the fastest method. In a large pot, add 6 cups of water for each pound (2 cups) of dry beans. Heat to boiling; boil for 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and soak for at least 1 hour.
Quick Soaking Beans
Add beans to a colander and rinse with cold water for 1 to 2 minutes. In a large saucepan or dutch oven add beans, 1 ½ tablespoons salt, and 8 cups water, stir to dissolve. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and cover the beans for 1 hour of soaking.
Canned chickpeas are pre-cooked chickpeas. You can eat canned chickpeas straight out of the can! (Just be sure to rinse them off before chowing down to wash out excess sodium) Otherwise, you can roast them or turn them into any number of delicious dishes, like these here.
Bottom line. Chickpeas are a nutritious and versatile plant-based protein. They are high in fibre, protein, folate and other important nutrients. You can buy them either dried or canned.
Dried chickpeas are much more economical and they tend to have a more natural flavor because they aren't soaked in preservatives. Also, any extra beans can be frozen to be used at a later time. The only drawback is that you have to soak chickpeas before you can cook them.
You'll know that the chickpeas are soaked well, when you try to pinch one between your nails and it goes right through without too much trouble. That's it!
You can eat at least one serving (28 grams) of chickpeas per day. However, don't eat more than 70 grams a day since that can cause adverse side effects. If you consume too many chickpeas, some side effects you may get include bloating, nausea, and gas. It's important to remember that chickpeas should not be eaten raw.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for every cup of dried chickpeas. Let them sit overnight (10-12 hours). The chickpeas will plump up and no longer appear dried and shriveled. Rinse the chickpeas before adding them into a pot.
If you overcook your chickpeas (guilty!) put them on a baking sheet and bake -- then you have roasted chickpeas which are delicious on their own, or you can make roasted chickpea hummus.
We soak chana overnight because water by the process of endosmosis diffuses in the chana and get swollen and aids in cooking. Beans can be soaked in this way.
“They're great for vegetarians and vegans.” In addition, chickpeas are also brimming with vitamins and minerals. These include choline, which helps your brain and nervous system run smoothly, as well as folate, magnesium, potassium and iron. For good measure, chickpeas are also high in vitamin A, E and C.