Crushed green chickpeas with Shiro Miso butter and pistachio is a dish that is all about umami. For many years, there were four recognized basic taste groups: sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Umami, or the “fifth taste,” was added officially to the basic taste group in 1980. Umami is true savoriness and translates to “pleasant savory taste” in Japanese. Miso is full of beneficial probiotics and with green chickpeas, harvested at the peak of freshness are the perfect superfoods.
I love spicy food, and sometimes I add a little kick by adding Fresno peppers to the crushed green chickpeas, however, there is a difference between “hot” and “spicy” food. Hot will burn and spicy will have a mellow pleasant heat that will add a ton of flavor. Spicy food has a perfect mild kick to it, so you can still enjoy all the flavors of the crushed green chickpeas and the Shiro miso.
Facts about Green Chickpeas:
Green Chickpeas are young garbanzo beans, harvested at the peak of freshness, and are nutritionally packed! They are a great source of plant-based, all-natural protein, and an exciting and healthy choice for plant-forward thinkers. The perfect superfood, high in fiber, antioxidants, folate, and iron. They are non-GMO, non-allergen, gluten-free, and kosher. You can purchase green chickpeas year around and as a bonus, they are grown with sustainable farming practices.
Green Chickpeas are good for you:
They are a great source of plant-based, all-natural protein, and an exciting and healthy choice for plant-forward thinkers. Green chickpeas are naturally low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium — promoting a healthy heart. A cup of chickpeas has about 15 grams of protein. That’s about 26% of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) protein for men and 32% of the RDA for women. Chickpeas have 12.5 grams of fiber per cup or roughly 50% of your daily needs!
What makes them Green:
Picked early, a green chickpea is simply a normal garbanzo bean harvested while immature and is still in its live green state full of natural moisture and color. Green chickpeas do not need to be reconstituted with water & preservatives. They are rushed from the fields to be washed, blanched, and flash frozen. Locking in the natural color, moisture, nutrition, and flavor.
Know your Miso and why you should eat Miso:
First of all, Miso is delicious and has amazing umami. Miso is made from fermented soybeans and grains and contains millions of beneficial bacteria. By consuming fermented foods like Shiro White Miso you are adding probiotics, increasing the health of your gut microbiome, digestive system, and enhancing your immune system. To make sure miso is made from organically grown, fermented soybeans and grains, make sure to read the label. The label will also indicate if the miso is gluten-free. I use Organic Eden Shiro Miso that you can find at Whole Foods. 1 teaspoon has about 140 mg of sodium.
The Eden Shiro Miso:
Is made from rice and soybeans and is not as salty as the version made with soybeans and wheat. The color of miso can also tell you something about its flavor. Generally speaking, the darker the color, the longer it’s been fermented and the stronger it will taste. Like many ‘live’ foods (fermented foods with live bacterial cultures), miso can be refrigerated and kept almost indefinitely. As long as your miso looks and smells normal, without any obvious spoilage, it should be good to use.
Shiro-White Miso:
Eden Shiro (Rice) miso paste is fermented for no longer than two months. Shiro (means “white” in Japanese) is lightly yellow in color and sweet to mildly salty. White miso (Shiro-miso) refers to the Kyoto style, sweet miso. Shiro is very versatile and provides great umami to roasted vegetables. I prefer to use white miso in my cooking. It’s not quite as salty as the others, so I can use more of it.
EDEN Organic Shiro Miso’s light yellow color, mellow sweet flavor, and lower sodium content make it the most popular type of miso in Japan. If you’re buying only one miso to use in a bunch of recipes, Shiro miso is a workhorse and is the best choice.
Shinshu – Yellow Miso:
Yellow miso has a mild, earthy flavor. It’s slightly stronger than white miso, but not as strong as red. It can range in color from red to dark brown. Shinshu miso is made from soybeans and barley and is aged for about 18 months. Shinshu miso is a name that can only be applied to miso made using traditional ingredients and processes (at least in Japan), so the quick-made varieties use other names.
Aka Miso – Red Miso:
Red miso is the strongest and saltiest. It can range in color from red to dark brown.
It is fermented for up to three years and is much saltier and deeper in flavor.
Use with caution — its flavor can overpower other ingredients. The intense salty flavor of red miso makes it a great choice for hearty soups and marinades for meat and poultry.
Crushed Green Chickpeas, Shiro Miso and Pistachio
The Taste
The fresh ginger, Shiro miso, maple syrup, sesame oil, and peanut butter
combined with green chickpeas make this dish a clean and great-tasting Asian-inspired side or entree.
The Process
As easy as it gets.
The Verdict
In Japan, people start their day with Miso soup.
Crushed green chickpeas with Shiro miso are a life with active cultures of good bacteria,
beneficial probiotics that help improve the body’s ability to digest and absorb foods.
Miso is a fermented food that boosts your immune system and helps to fight infections.
Chef Tips
Miso’s beneficial probiotics can be killed by high temperatures.
To get the full benefit of the probiotics it’s recommended not to bring miso to a boiling point.
Serve with a Miso glazed salmon filet or chicken breast and you have a wonderful light lunch or dinner.
Crushed Green Chickpeas, Shiro Miso Butter, Pistachio
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS FOR MISO DRESSING
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp lime juice fresh
- 1 tsp soy sauce, low sodium low sodium
- 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
INGREDIENTS FOR HOISIN SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS
- 1 pound shiitake mushrooms cleaned, stem removed
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp water
INGREDIENTS FOR GREEN CHICKPEAS
- 3 cup chickpeas green
- 2 tbsp pistachio nuts
Instructions
Make the Miso Dressing
- Whisk all ingredients for the miso dressing in a small bowl.2 tbsp white miso paste, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp soy sauce, low sodium, 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup, 2 tsp vegetable oil
Cook the Mushrooms
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water to skillet and cook, tossing mushrooms occasionally, until water is evaporated and mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes longer. Add the Hoisin sauce, toss and sauté an additional 1 to 2 minutes until the shiitake mushrooms are nicely glazed.1 pound shiitake mushrooms, 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Cook the green chickpeas
- Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add frozen green chickpeas, and cook for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain green chickpeas and transfer them to a bowl. Mash the chickpeas with a potato masher, process until blended, but still thick with small pieces of chickpeas. Blend with miso dressing, garnish sautéed shiitake and serve immediately while slightly3 cup chickpeas green, 2 tbsp pistachio nuts
Chef Notes
Whole Foods Organic is one of them that is readily available.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate