Leblebi: a Roasted Chickpea Product as a Traditional Turkish Snack Food

Abstract

Abstract Grain legumes occupy an important place in the world food supply. Legumes go through several primary processes (e.g., dehulling, boiling, roasting, splitting, and grinding, etc.) before they are used in different food preparations. Roasting or puffing of legumes by subjecting them to high temperatures for a short time has been practiced in Asia, the Middle East, and South America for many years. The roasted chickpea product, called leblebi, a word that originated from Persian is widely consumed as a traditional snack food in Turkey, the Mediterranean region, and the Middle East. Although, leblebi originated in Turkey, exact details of leblebi are not well known. There are two different kinds of leblebi, dehulled leblebi (Sari Leblebi and Girit Leblebi) and nondehulled leblebi (Beyaz Leblebi and Sakız Leblebi) produced in Turkey. The processing stages for all different kinds of leblebi include cleaning and grading, soaking, tempering (preheating and resting), boiling, resting, roasting, and dehulling. At the end of the production process, the chickpeas swell, soften, and after roasting, become crisp. Leblebi is a healthy snack food due to its nutritional content. Furthermore, leblebi has a long shelf life due to its low moisture content. Although, leblebi consumption goes back to ancient history, very little research on its production has been carried out.