> Garbanzo beans are also known by which other term?And the answer: chickpeas. Photo courtesy: lastingredient.comGarbanzo beans and chickpeas are the same typeof legume, known in Latin as the Cicer arietinum. Common in Middle Eastern andIndian cuisines, the chickpea is the world's second most widely grown legume,after the soybean. The chickpea is probably best known worldwide as the mainingredient in hummus.As the world's second most widely grown legume, chickpeas have a rich, delicioushistory in cultures across the globe. Since the ninth millennium BC, chickpeashave been grown and eaten in the Middle East, parts of Africa and in India. Thechickpea is one of the eight founder crops of the origins of agriculture on ourplanet. Quite some power for such a small legume, is it not? Though we know it well as the chickpea or garbanzo bean, chickpeas are known bymany different names all over the world. Other names include bengal grams,egyptian peas, ceci beans and kabuli chana. These little legumes also come in avariety of different types and colors, not just the beige variety we are used toseeing in cans. Chickpeas can also be black, green, red and brown.Interestingly, from their lengthy history of cultivation chickpeas bringinteresting cultural association and meanings. For example, ancient Romansassociated chickpeas with the Goddess Venus. Pliny the Elder, a philosopher andauthor from ancient Rome, mentioned chickpeas in his writings, noting that thelegumes were routinely offered to Venus– the Roman Goddess of love, beauty, sex,and fertility. Their association with good health apparently was enough todevote the legume to her name, and they were consequently consumed at anygathering in her honor. Chickpeas, of course, are also extremely versatile in their consumption. Theymay be added to salads, soups, and stews, made into meatballs, roasted to becomea tasty snack, or even mashed and used in baking as a replacement for flour (toname a few). Check out this hummus recipe[https://www.themediterraneandish.com/roasted-red-pepper-hummus-recipe/] for atake on a delicious classic, or this stew recipe[https://choosingchia.com/crockpot-moroccan-chickpea-stew/] for a tasty dinner.