pan-fried spiced chickpeas

Recently, working with my naturopath, I followed a food elimination diet / liver cleanse in the aim to ‘reset’ my system and to hopefully identify some foods that are taxing my digestive system. It was a 17 day program that involved restricting many problem-causing, typically allergenic, and likely sensitive foods from my diet. So to ensure I still had a bit of spice in my noshing, I made this easy dish of pan-fried chickpeas (inspired by this recipe) that made me feel anything but restricted. This is a seriously addictive dish, whether limiting intake of particular foods or when in the need for something delicious.

1 can of chickpeas

1 1/2 tbsp potato or tapioca starch

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

3 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to finish, to taste

1. Drain the chickpeas and spread them out on a dish towel to dry for about 1/2 hour.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine spices, salt and corn starch. Mix well. Add chickpeas and mix until well coated.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan and then shallow fry beans in two batches. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching and to ensure they fry evenly. Remove from pan when they look done, to a plate lined with a paper towel.