Lemony Fried Chickpeas

As you’ll see in the handful of fried recipes in this book, I’m a big fan of shallow-frying. The method is simply the opposite of deep-frying: rather than filling up a pan with enough oil to submerge whatever you’re cooking in it, you’ll use only enough to partially submerge the food. Be diligent in flipping and moving it to ensure that it cooks evenly—it’s a great way to not waste so much oil, but still get crispy-golden crusts. I use that method here, because while I’ve attempted many different recipes for crispy chickpeas that use the oven over the years, none of them are as good as fried ones. I especially like them with a pronounced lemony tang, which is achieved by soaking the beans in lemon juice and then dousing them in lemon zest right after they come out of the pan. Unfortunately, they lose their crispy coating relatively quickly, so it’s best to make these within an hour or two of when you want to eat them. Makes about 3 cups

Great

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Using a rasp-style grater, zest the lemons, and set the zest aside.

Step 2

Drain the chickpeas (reserving the aquafaba if you have a use for it) and rinse them well, and drain again. Spread out on a clean towel and blot dry, then transfer to a mixing bowl and add the juice of the lemons. Let stand for 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 3

Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, lift the chickpeas out of the lemon juice and return to the clean towel and gently but thoroughly blot dry one last time. (The lemon juice can be used for a vinaigrette or marinade.)

Step 4

In your widest skillet, add enough oil to measure ¼ inch deep, and place over medium-high heat. If you use a medium-sized, 10-inch skillet, you’ll need to fry the chickpeas in batches—it’s important that the chickpeas fit in a single layer where they’re not too crammed together. Once the oil is hot (test the temperature by adding a single chickpea; it should sizzle immediately), add as many chickpeas as will fit in a single layer and fry until golden brown all over and crispy, about 15 minutes, swirling and stirring the pan periodically. The mixture may get foamy as it cooks, which is normal—just lift a few chickpeas out of the pan to check on doneness. When golden, transfer them to a paper towel–lined plate or baking sheet using a slotted spoon. (If cooking the chickpeas in batches, add more oil to the pan with each new batch.)

Step 5

Immediately sprinkle the chickpeas liberally with salt, then add the lemon zest and a few pinches of dried oregano. Serve warm or immediately after they’ve cooled—ideally within an hour, as they soften and lose their crispiness relatively quickly.