Garbanzos!

Sometimes when I want a salty snack, I make crunchy chickpeas instead of just going right for the Pretzel Goldfish. This doesn't always work. I do love goldfish.

I don't know about you, but crunchy chickpeas sound really good!

My trick is to blend turmeric, garlic powder, garlic salt, and this channa masala spice blend that I bought in New York in a little bowl. About a teaspoon of each, usually.

I drain MOST but not ALL of the juice from the chickpea can, and then pour them in a bowl. I pour the spices I have mixed on top, and stir this all around until they are all pretty well coated.

Depending on my mood, I will either bake the chickpeas in the oven on a cookie sheet, or sauté them in a little pan. If baking, I pour them onto a lined cookie sheet (parchment paper, or just grease the sheet if you don't have it) and stick them onto the middle rack of the oven for about twenty minutes.

Then I take them out, stir them around carefully, and put them back in for another 15 minutes. They come out crunchy but soft on the inside, almost like french fries.

Sautéing them is a little bit more fun. I use the tiny bit of juice from the can instead of water or oil. I keep the burner at about a 4, and stir pretty consistently.

This method makes the chickpeas really crispy, warm-tasting, and fulfilling. It's more of a side-dish than a snack this way. In making this snack, you could use other spices instead, like a chili-paprika blend, or sea salt and dill. Chickpeas are really fun to work with. I've also made homemade hummus, and the classic Indian dish channa masala.