So with Father’s Day coming up, I was trying to think of what I could get for my dad. Then I remembered him mentioning how garbanzos (chick peas) are his favorite beans.
Chickpeas are so versatile in that they could be incorporated into many different recipes and are a loved ingredient of many different cultures. Delicious recipes involving chick peas can be found all over the world. From the Chana Masala (India) to Hummus (Originating in the middle east, exact origin is unknown as there are multiple places/cultures that have hummus recipes – FUN FACT. All I know is I’m grateful as hummus is one of my favorite foods!) And then of course, there’s Cuban Garbanzos!
I decided to make a big batch of garbanzos for him. This was my first time making them from scratch so I consulted with my Godmother, who just happens to be the QUEEN of cuban food in my opinion, as well as of those who have ever had her cooking. Better than any cuban restaurant. I’m not even exaggerating. Her food is just THAT amazing, without fail, every time.
She gave me some tips and pointers and I proceed with making the garbanzos. A little of this, a little of that, and boom! They came out great! My dad came over to have some then asked to take home with him for later.
Ingredients:
Small bag of dry garbanzo beans
1 or 2 russet potatoes (depending on the size)
1 small malanga
1 small piece of calabaza (pumpkin)
2 small Goya brand chorizo links
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 onion
4 large pieces of garlic
Salt
1 Tbs of cumin
1 Tbs of oregano
1 Tbs Sazón Completa
1 packet of Sazón Goya
1 can of tomato sauce
(Amount of each ingredient can be adjusted per chefs’ liking.)
NOTE: Pressure cooker needed.
Optional: Leave dry beans soaking in water over night. Replace water to start cooking. This helps removes some of the indigestible sugars which cause bloat.
Chop up the peppers, onions, and garlic.
(I personally like to pass them through a food processor to get like a paste-like consistency so the veggies dissolve in the beans.. no big chunky pieces. Of course, this is optional.)
Slice the chorizo and dice the calabaza.
Add all the ingredients (except the potatoes) to the pressure cooker pot with enough water to cover 3/4 of the way up.
Close the pressure cooker. Time spent varies on the type of pressure cooker you have.
I happen to have a VERY OLD aluminum pressure cooker. I leave it on high until I hear the pressure build up, then I put the heat on medium-low for about 30 minutes. I then turn the heat off and wait for the pressure to subside.
Once the pressure is released entirely, I open the lid and check the taste and add any seasoning if needed.
Slice the potatoes to desired size and add to the pot. Adding them after will prevent them from dissolving. Let the beans come to a boil so the potatoes can cook.
TIP:
If you like for beans to come out a bit thicker, let it boil a little longer without the lid on the pot.
