Chickpeas with sesame, miso and soy sauce

When I discovered miso, I was a bit skeptical. I started with the one recommended for its sweetness, the white. But white miso, even now that I eat more of it, I never manage to know what to do with it: its taste is soft from the knee and it is quickly supplanted by the rest.
But the red miso has become a real favorite. I put it in almost everything.

The people who have been following me for a while or who have seen my plates go by all winter must not have missed the one I am going to tell you about: the miso mushrooms.
It’s an extremely simple recipe, it’s the very definition of umami, it’s very salty, it’s easy to prepare and extremely tasty.
It has become one of Doudou’s favorite recipes.

Recently I made candied aubergines with miso (and you are going to tell me “cool, I ate an apple”), and in the bottom of my bowl, I had a little miso left stuck in the edges, with sesame oil. I thought it would be a shame to leave that in the bottom of this bowl, so I wanted to use it and went frantically mixing stuff in my bowl. I tossed everything in the oven with the eggplant and it was actually pretty damn delicious.
So I share with you this recipe for chickpeas with miso, with a dash of soy sauce and sesame.

Chickpeas with miso and sesame

Toasted sesame oil

I had never had sesame oil at home. I even believe I can say that I am not part of the fan club of sesame lovers: I find that it is a bit harsh, the taste seems really too strong to me. In short, you won’t find me making a slice of tahini for breakfast!
Before continuing, I must give you a parenthesis. The recipe for confit aubergines was that of the book by The Friendly Kitchen, of which I made the photos a few months ago (well ok, a year now! ): if you want to take a look, it’s acts of the work The friendly Kitchen: 50 vegetable and seasonal recipes“. The recipes are all gluten-free, full of creativity and combinations of original and accessible flavors.
And so, it is thanks to this book that this bottle of sesame oil arrived at my house, for this recipe in the book.
Fanny loves sesame, and she uses it regularly in her cooking. I wasn’t going to let this little bottle sleep in the cupboard, so I started using it, especially when I’m making stir-fried noodles: it gives an interesting little taste.

The toasted flavor of the sesame really brings an extra flavor, without this harsh side that I personally find unpleasant in the mash.
Sesame oil can be used in cooking.
I haven’t reached the end of mine yet, but when I do, I’m thinking of turning to those from Asian grocery stores: it seems that their flavor has nothing comparable to those found in organic stores. in France, and I’m curious to compare! Some people, it’s makeup, me, it’s sesame oil that I test haha

Miso: fermented paste with umami flavors

I use it from time to time in my recipes: miso is a fermented Japanese preparation, made from soybeans, cereals, water and salt, and then koji, a mushroom used to ferment bazaar .
There are more or less strong, more or less fine.
Miso being a fermented food, it is like all fermented foods, an interesting contribution in the kitchen: full of good bacteria to invite itself into our intestinal flora. Mega party.
This is why I strongly advise you not to turn to miso that has been pasteurized. Too bad to lose the long-life interest of the fermented product with a pasteurized product that has lost all its good bacteria, isn’t it?

I have been using celnat miso for several years now, which is sold in a small rigid plastic container: it is unpasteurized, a jar lasts me about 3 months. It is best kept cool after opening, the product will continue to evolve and take a little bottle over time.

In terms of taste, it’s quite difficult to describe, but it’s a major addition that will give relief to a whole bunch of dishes. umami doesn’t really have an easy definition, but basically, it’s the thing that sublimates, that feels like coming back to it, it’s often reduced to “tasty”. And clearly the miso, it’s tasty, and salty, with a little almost sweet and caramelized taste.
I urge you to give it a try and don’t be confused by your attempt at the spoon: it fits particularly well in bolognese lentils or caramelized textured soy protein.

Shoyu soy sauce or tamari soy sauce?

For this recipe, I use classic soy sauce and not tamari sauce.
Tamari sauce is made from fermented soybeans, while Shoyu soy sauce is “cut” with a little wheat. Result: its taste is less strong and intense.
If I use tamari sauce a lot (the version softened in salt) for broths or anything that needs to be full-bodied, in this recipe, I preferred to use soy sauce because I wanted a lighter finish. It was a perfect option because the oven concentrates the aromas.
I buy, without originality, kikkoman soy sauce at the Asian store, in a liter bottle, I really like its taste.

We talked a lot about the ingredients, but then finally, how are these chickpeas? As expected, it was very delicious.
If you already have your oven on, do not hesitate to take the opportunity to open a jar or a box of chickpeas and put them in, whether with paprika, or with sesame and miso soy sauce.

Served with zucchini as in the photos, a little semolina… You can add a little water (preferably lukewarm to avoid a thermal shock to your dish!) to have a little delicious juice for sauce.