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Botanical Name: Cicer arietinum     
Family: Fabaceae
Subfamily: Faboideae
Other Names: chickpea (Cicer arietinum)  garbanzo bean, Indian pea, ceci bean, bengal gram, Kabuli chana, konda kadalai, kadale kaalu, sanaga pappu, shimbra, Kadala
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Fabales
Genus: Cicer
Species: C. arietinum

Habitat:Native to Tropical  & Subtropical  Climatic Jone.

Description
The plant grows to between 20 and 50 cm high and has small feathery leaves on either side of the stem. One seedpod contains two or three peas. It has white flowers with blue, violet or pink veins. Chickpeas need a subtropical or tropical climate with more than 400 millimetres (16 in) of annual rain. They can be grown in a temperate climate but yields will be much lower.
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Chickpea  is an edible legume with very high protain value  and one of the earliest cultivated vegetables. 7,500-year-old remains have been found in the Middle East.

Etymology
The name chickpea traces back through the French chiche to Latin cicer (from which the Roman cognomen Cicero was taken). The Oxford English Dictionary lists a 1548 citation that reads, “Cicer may be named in English Cich, or ciche pease, after the Frenche tonge.” The dictionary cites “Chick-pea” in the mid-18th century; the original word in English was chich, found in print in English in 1388, and taken directly from French.

The word garbanzo came to English as “calavance” in the 17th century, from Old Spanish (perhaps influenced by Old Spanish garroba or algarroba). The Portuguese arvançu has suggested to some that the origin of the word “Garbanzo” is in the Greek erebinthos. But the Oxford English Dictionary notes that some scholars doubt this; it also mentions a possible origination in the word garbantzu, from Basque — a non-Indo-European tongue — in which it is a compound of garau, seed + antzu, dry.

History
Green chickpeaDomesticated chickpeas have been found in the aceramic levels of Jericho (PPNB) along with Cayönü in Turkey and in Neolithic pottery at Hacilar, Turkey. They are found in the late Neolithic (about 3500 BCE) at Thessaly, Kastanas, Lerna and Dimini. In southern France Mesolithic layers in a cave at L’Abeurador, Aude have yielded wild chickpeas carbon dated to 6790±90 BCE.

By the Bronze Age chickpeas were known in Italy and Greece. In classical Greece they were called erébinthos and eaten as a staple, a dessert or consumed raw when young. The Romans knew several varieties such as venus, ram and punic chickpeas. They were both cooked down into a broth and roasted as a snack. The Roman gourmet Apicius gives several recipes for chickpeas. Carbonized chickpeas have been found at the Roman legion fort at Neuss (Novaesium), Germany in layers from the 1st century CE, along with rice.

Chickpeas are mentioned in Charlemagne’s Capitulare de villis (about 800 CE) as cicer italicum, as grown in each imperial demesne. Albertus Magnus mentions red, white and black varieties. Culpeper noted “chick-pease or cicers” are less “windy” than peas and more nourishing. Ancient people also associated chickpeas with Venus because they were said to offer medical uses such as increasing sperm and milk, provoking menstruation and urine and helping to treat kidney stones. Wild cicers were thought to be especially strong and helpful.

In 1793 ground roast chickpeas were noted by a German writer as a coffee substitute in Europe and in the First World War they were grown for this in some areas of Germany. Chickpeas are still sometimes brewed instead of coffee

Types
There are two main kinds of  Bengal Gram (chickpea:)

1.Desi, which has small, darker seeds and a rough coat, cultivated mostly in the Indian subcontinent, Ethiopia, Mexico, and Iran.

2.Kabuli, which has lighter coloured, larger seeds and a smoother coat, mainly grown in Southern Europe, Northern Africa, Afghanistan, and Chile, also introduced during the 18th century to the Indian subcontinent.

The Desi (meaning country or local in Hindi) is also known as Bengal gram or kala chana. Kabuli (meaning from Kabul in Hindi, since they were thought to have come from Afghanistan when first seen in India) is the kind widely grown throughout the Mediterranean. Desi is likely the earliest form since it closely resembles seeds found both on archaeological sites and the wild plant ancestor of domesticated chickpeas (Cicer reticulatum) which only grows in southeast Turkey, where it is believed to have originated. Desi chickpeas have a markedly higher fiber content than Kabulis and hence a very low glycemic index which may make them suitable for people with blood sugar problems. The desi type is used to make Chana Dal, which is a split chickpea with the skin removed.

Cultivation and use
Chickpeas are grown in the Mediterranean, western Asia, the Indian subcontinent and Australia. Domestically they can be sprouted within a few days all year round with a sprouter on a windowsill.

Mature chickpeas can be cooked and eaten cold in salads, cooked in stews, ground into a flour called gram flour (also known as besan and used primarily in Indian cuisine), ground and shaped in balls and fried as falafel, fermented to make an alcoholic drink similar to sake, stirred into a batter and baked to make farinata, cooked and ground into a paste called hummus or roasted, spiced and eaten as a snack (such as leblebi). Chick peas and bengal grams are used to make curries and are one of the most popular vegetarian foods in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the UK. On the Indian subcontinent chickpeas are called kadale kaalu in Kannada, shanaga  in Telugu, chana in Hindi and other Indic languages, Chhola in Bengali and konda kadalai in Tamil, where they are a major source of protein in a mostly vegetarian culture.
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Many popular dishes in Indian cuisine are made with chickpea flour, such as mirchi bajji and mirapakaya bajji telugu. In India, as well as in the Levant, unripe chickpeas are often picked out of the pod and eaten as a raw snack and the leaves are eaten as a green vegetable in salads. Chickpea flour is also used to make “Burmese tofu” which was first known among the Shan people of Burma. The flour is used as a batter to coat various vegetables and meats before frying, such as with panelle, a chickpea fritter from Sicily. Chickpea flour is also used to make the mediterranean flatbread socca.

In the Philippines garbanzo beans preserved in syrup are eaten as sweets and in desserts such as halo-halo. Ashkenazi Jews traditionally serve whole chickpeas at a Shalom Zachar celebration for baby boys.

Dried chickpeas need a long cooking time (1–2 hours) but will not easily fall apart when cooked longer. If soaked for 12–24 hours before use, cooking time can be considerably shortened (30 mins).

Raw chickpeas contain protease (enzyme that breaks down proteins) inhibitors which counteract the enzymes in our body that digest protein.

Chickpeas should not be confused with the Chickling pea.

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Medicinal Uses:
Chickpea leaves and seeds, and acid exudation of the plants are commonly used as medicine. Chickpea holds a reputed position in Ayurvedic and Unani system of medicine. According to Ayurvedic philosophy, chickpea leaves are sour, astringent to bowels, and improve taste and appetite. Leaves are used to cure bronchitis specially the chronic bronchitis. The seed is used as tonic, stimulant, and aphrodisiac. Because of its aphrodisiac properties, it is referred as vajibhakshya in Sanskrit.

The seed is used as an appetiser; it also has anthelmintic properties. It also cures thirst and burning. Seeds are mainly used for the treatment of bronchitis, leprosy, skin diseases, blood disorders, throat problems, and biliousness. According to Unani system of medicine, chickpea leaves are purgative and abortifacient. Leaves are used in treatment of cold, cough, and pains. Seeds are mainly used for the treatment of diseases of liver and spleen. Seeds enrich the blood and cure skin diseases and inflammation of the ear. Medicinal properties of weeds in chickpea fields and of pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera), a major insect pest of chickpea, have also been reported.

The people of Chhattisgarh have rich traditional medicinal knowledge about plants, insects. Chickpea is one of the frequently used medicinal plants in Chhattisgarh. A survey was conducted during 1999-2000 in ten districts of Chhattisgarh to list the existing medicinal uses of chickpea. From each selected district, two blocks were selected and from each block, a random sample of four villages was taken to make a sample of 200 respondents. Information regarding existing uses was collected through personal interviews.

The survey revealed that chickpea is among frequently used medicinal plants in Chhattisgarh. It revealed that acid exudation from chickpea plants is most frequently used as compared to leaves and seeds during the crop season. The acid exudation is collected by spreading sheets of white cloth over the crop in the field at night and the next morning the dew mixed acid is collected and used as medicine. The natives use this “miracle potion” to cure common ailments like constipation and indigestion. It was also noted during the survey that many pharmaceutical companies are regularly purchasing this exudation at fair rates from the farmers. Many farmers have installed pH meters in their farms. The tribals of Chhattisgarh use this cure patients suffering from snake poisoning and dog bite. In many parts of India, the fresh plant is used for the treatment of dysmenorrhoea (i. e., painful menses). Many traditional healers of Chhattisgarh are also using chickpea plants for this purpose. Fresh chickpea leaves are styptic and farmers use these as first aid remedy to stop bleeding. The styptic properties of Helicoverpa pod borer have also been reported. The boiled leaves of chickpea (collected before flowering) are used as poultice to sprained and dislocated limbs.

The survey suggested that by contacting pharmaceutical companies and other potential buyers of acid exudation, leaves, and seeds, chickpea growers can be encouraged to earn extra profit from the crop. The survey also revealed that there is a strong need to prepare the list of potential buyers of medicinal chickpea plant parts and to recognise and promote traditional uses of chickpea.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chickpea

http://www.botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/23_chickpea.html

http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Chickpea

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