Chick Peas/garbanzo Beans Out Of Stock In Bangkok?

[Chatbkk]

I used to be able to buy 'garbanzo beans' at any villa supermarket in Bangkok, and Tops used to sell 'chick peas' from Waitrose (I think) but not anymore.

Cust. Services at Villa told me the're out of stock and they don't know if/when they will have it again.

Can anybody tell me where I could buy the beans? There should be shops that sell Mediterranean products...

Thanks!

[pschef]

I would like to know where to buy dry marrow fat peas, love mushy peas, BTW Chiang mai please.

[ricklev]

'garbanzo beans' Foodland Soi 5 Sukumvit, just saw them yesterday.

[Michaelaway]

Central Department Store's supermarket's got 'em!

[jfchandler]

There's quite a few sources around BKK, depending on what kind you want...

I use them for making homemade hummus, so I'm buying stock every week....

For the canned, already soaked variety, the Villa Market on Suk Soi 11 seems to carry a pretty regular stock of the S&W brand from the states for 69 baht per can... I can't speak directly for the other Villas, but I'd assume at least some other Villa locations are stocking them as well.

As mentioned above, Central and Tops sometimes have carried the canned Waitrose varieties, both regular and the more expensive organic variety... But they've always been more expensive than Villa's S&W brand, and I haven't checked on their stocking lately.

Then, if you want to soak the dried beans yourself or don't mind doing so, pretty much every major farang-oriented market around the Sukhumvit area seems to stock some variety of dried garbanzos/chickpeas in plastic bags, if for no other reason than they're somewhat of a staple in Indian cooking, e.g., chana marsala, etc. I've regularly seen the dried varieties at Villa, Foodland, Central Foodhall and elsewhere (though never at Tesco or Carrefour, for some reason...)

There's also the Geeta Indian food products company, which supposedly stocks chickpeas... They used to have several market locations, but I gather those are now gone... In talking to them on the phone, they've indicated they now sell retail via a "Spices R Us" shop in the Rembrandt Tower on Sukhumvit Soi 20 (though I've yet to go there to see what exactly they're stocking).

[Chatbkk]

Thank you all for the tips!

Apparently Customer Services of Villa did find 60 cans somewhere and sent them to the branch close to where we live. Very happy now as I use them for homemade hummus also.

If they'll ever run out again (or if I will be in the neighbourhood of one of the places you suggested) I'll know where to go now.

Thanks again!

[jfchandler]

And, interestingly, I was shopping at the two Sukhumvit Foodland stores the other day, Suk Soi 5 and the other at Soi 16, and was amazed to see them stocking S&W brand canned garbanzos.... which I've NEVER seen at either of those Foodlands before...

And they were priced, I believe, at 66 baht per can, about 3 baht below the normal Villa Market price. And the two Foodlands, at least as of this week, had a quite a decent shelf stock of cans... not just 2 or 3...

[tutsiwarrior]

anyone got a line on tahina (required for hummous preparation)?

[kurnell]

I bought tahini in Villa 33

[jfchandler]

I make hummous without tahini....

1. Because I don't have to hassle with finding it in BKK...

2. Because the resulting hummous is healthier without it...

and 3. Because the taste and texture comes out just fine without it... provided you use an adequate amount of extra virgin olive oil.

My basic recipe in the electric food processor is: 2 cans of S&W garbanzos, mostly drained; about 150 ml of extra virgin olive oil, a healthy dose of granulated garlic powder or chopped garlic, and a dash of fresh lemon juice... Then once in the food processor whirring, if it needs a bit more liquid for smooth consistency, I'll add a touch of water and/or a bit more olive oil.

[tutsiwarrior]

can't imagine hommous without tahina but I'll give it a try...a food processor is on the list; I've burnt the motor out of too many blenders to mention...(I could get the nieces to squat with the mortar and pestle, I suppose...)

also, my purpose in wanting to find tahina is because yer bog standard tahina sauce (tahina, lemon juice and garlic) is wonderful for any dressing...I became addicted in the Middle East...there was tahina paste available everywhere even in the little shop in the construction camp that I lived in in saudi...always plenty of lemons around (don't ask me where they get fresh citrus in the middle of the desert...)

[jfchandler]

I agree, Tutsi.... I believe, also, tahini is a principal ingredient is the creamy-type sauce that is sometimes served as an accompaniment with fried falafel balls, which, not surprisingly, are made from a mix based in ground chickpeas....

I know I've seen jars of tahini during my travels around BKK... Just can't recall exactly where off the top of my head. My first guess is one of the Villa Supermarkets. But I'll keep an eye out now, that you've put the topic on my radar.

For sure, all the Middle Eastern shops around town are getting it from somewhere. I don't think all the end users are making it from scratch...

[tutsiwarrior]

^yeah...another thing to look out for is falafel mix; useta be able to get it most places in California but never seen it elsewhere...just add water...

in Jeddah, for a treat I'd go down the 'filipino souk' near where I lived offa Amir Sultan Street where there was a small place that served the best falafel sandwiches I've ever had...takeaway place run by grim looking arabs...they combined the tahina sauce with the salad beforehand...three fat falafels in arabic bread with salad slathered with the sauce...out of this world...

surprisingly, you can get the same thing from food carts in LA but they are run by israelis...