Leblebi is a popular Turkish snack which is prepared by pounding the roasted chickpeas. It is sometimes pounded along with salt, hot spices and dried cloves. This snack is also enjoyed in Middle East and other Mediterranean countries. The dish was introduced to North Africa, Middle East and Europe by the Turkish travelers. The Turkey is the largest producer and exporter of lablebi, but it is also produced in some Middle-East countries. Some minor leblebi variations are also observed in this country. There are two different kinds of dish, which are: dehulled and nondehulled leblebi. The Girit and Sari are the popular types of dehulled leblebi, and Beyaz and Sakiz are the two types of nondehulled version.
All kinds of chickpeas are not used in the preparation of the dish. Some genetic and biological criteria are set for the selection of the chickpea. Normally large seeded, round, light–colored, smooth surfaced kabuli chickpeas are used for preparing the leblebi. The classification of the chickpeas on the basis of their size, shape and other biological factors are also considered to be one of the important aspects of the dish preparation.
In Turkey, Anatolia is the hub of the leblebi production and it is from here that the dish migrated to Middle East and other Mediterranean countries. Some leblebi recipe variations can be observed in different parts of Turkey. More or less, the combining ingredients remain the same but the changes occur in the method of preparation. The word is derived from the Arabic word leblab, which is normally used to indicate kind of ivy with edible seeds, but it is also believed that the word is derived from the Persian word leb which means lip, and suffix is added to the word to sound like leb lebi which means made for lips and lips. The dish is normally served with Boza.
Origin of Leblebi
It is believed that this dish originated in Turkey in 1000-1300 AD. Also, it is largely perceived that the dish was first eaten during the times of the Ottoman Empire. Further, the food scientists have established that the dish originated in Turkey but they don’t have enough sources to prove its exact whereabouts. Also, there is no concrete literature around which gives out its processing method, composition and nutritive values.
Leblebi Recipe- Ingredients Prescribed and Preparation Process
The ingredients required in preparation of leblebi include chickpeas, garlic powder, black pepper, sea salt, turmeric, ground coriander and olive oil, which are combined in unique proportions to prepare the dish, where the basic way of preparing the dish is very elaborate as compared to other chickpea based preparations. The normal stages of preparation involves cleaning, and grading, soaking, preheating, boiling, resting, roasting, dehulling.
This dish is also popular in Tunisia. But following the leblebi recipe from Tunisia, ingredients like boiled chickpea, old bread, harrisa, olive oil, olives, cumin, salt, egg, lemon juice, vinegar and egg are used in the preparation of the dish. Normally the dish is treated as the winter dish.