AI-generated image
Malana
Roasted green chickpeas
Malana: bunches of fresh green chickpeas roasted over embers and eaten from the pod
Late winter and spring bring malana, whole chickpea plants with their fuzzy green pods still attached, to market stalls in Upper Egypt and across the country. Sellers and families roast the bunches over embers until the pods blister and blacken in spots, and everyone sits around pulling them off the stalks and popping out the hot, sweet, slightly smoky peas, a little like a cross between fresh peas and chestnuts. Look for them at Middle Eastern or South Asian grocers in season, sold as green chickpeas on the stem. The mistake is leaving them over the heat too long, which turns the peas dry and mealy. Chef's tip: sprinkle the hot pods with salt and a few drops of water, which steams the peas inside.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lb fresh green chickpeas on the stemin bunches, pods attached
- 1 tsp flaky salt
- 2 tbsp water
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Light a charcoal grill and let it burn down to glowing embers, or heat a heavy cast-iron pan over a high heat for about 5 minutes until very hot.
10 minStep 2: Shake off any soil, rinse 2 ¼ lb fresh green chickpeas on the stem quickly and pat dry.
Step 3: Lay the bunches over the embers or in the dry pan and roast, turning with tongs, until the pods are blistered and charred in spots and the peas inside are bright green and tender.
8 minStep 4: Pile onto a tray, sprinkle with 2 tbsp water and 1 tsp flaky salt and cover with a cloth for 2 minutes so they steam.
2 minStep 5: Eat warm, pulling pods from the stems and pressing out the peas with your teeth.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does malana take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Indian
Ful nabitSprouted fava bean soup
Sprouted beans are ladled out with their cooking liquor in Cairo homes when the weather turns cold or someone is feeling run down, and Egyptians swear by the broth as a pick-me-up. The beans are soaked and left to sprout for a few days, then simmered with onion, garlic and cumin into a light, earthy soup that is sharpened at the table with plenty of lemon. You can eat the beans with a spoon or pop them from their skins. Allow 3 to 4 days for sprouting, although the hands-on work is only about 20 minutes. People with G6PD deficiency (favism) must not eat fava beans. Chef's tip: stop the sprouting when the shoots are about 1 cm long; longer sprouts taste grassy and bitter.
Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
Japanese