Dried Chick Peas/ Garbanzo Beans

[tutsiwarrior]

yeah...they got loads of good kitchen equipment in saudi at the hypermarkets but a blender/processor won't fit into a suitcase and maybe not allowed as a carry on with a laptop as well...so I gave it a miss...I brought back a meat grinder in my hand luggage once...

[al007]

Try this stick blender from Lazada

 

http://www.lazada.co.th/lacor-61671-electric-stick-blenderchopper-700-w-7560605.html

 

It has enough power, is quick and easy to clean, for chopping the cooked beans

 

And tha bowel is good for chopping roasted sesame seeds to make tahini 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

6 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

yeah...they got loads of good kitchen equipment in saudi at the hypermarkets but a blender/processor won't fit into a suitcase and maybe not allowed as a carry on with a laptop as well...so I gave it a miss...I brought back a meat grinder in my hand luggage once...

 

The 10-cup variety I bought, in their original packaging, would fit in a regular large check-in suitcase. But would be too large and heavy for a check-in bag. I remember when I shipped mine, the total shipping weight was about 8 lbs.

 

I'm talking about the kind with just a single large mixing bowl, blades and motor unit -- not the multi-purpose kinds with different sized bowls and a liquids blender attachment.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This is the Hamilton Beach model I had shipped over:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-Processor-Compact-70760/dp/B002V8RNH2

 

[tutsiwarrior]

with the frijoles I wonder if one could get away with just using a potato masher rather than a mechanical process? the beans should be pretty soft after cooking fer 3 hours, almost like mush...a chunkier texture, perhaps...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

8 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

with the frijoles I wonder if one could get away with just using a potato masher rather than a mechanical process? the beans should be pretty soft after cooking fer 3 hours, almost like mush...a chunkier texture, perhaps...

 

Absolutely. I mentioned using that method above.

 

[tutsiwarrior]

28 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

This is the Hamilton Beach model I had shipped over:

 

https://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-Processor-Compact-70760/dp/B002V8RNH2

 

 

oooh, Hamilton Beach, number one for blenders in the US...industrial quality, the favored equipment in soda fountains from coast to coast...

 

bein' from California, as I kid as I slurped my milkshake I wondered: 'where is Hamilton Beach and I wonder if they got any surf there?'

 

d'ye remember when they made up the milkshake inna tall stainless container then poured it into a tall glass and then set the container on the counter next to it with the remains of the shake that didn't fit into the glass? nostalgic americana...Baskin and Robbins useta do that 50 years ago...

 

now the meaning of shaikh has changed utterly...with evil arabs in robes funding jihadi organizations that seek to destroy western ikons like milkshakes...

 

 

Edited December 31, 2016 by tutsiwarrior

[dddave]

Flatbread (Pita) can be bought in most Bangkok Foodlands though it is often stale.  I usually try to buy it at the Sukhumvit Soi 5 location because the stock turns over there much faster and is fresher due to  the large local Muslim population. It is a bit hard to find. Left side of the store, 15m past the deli case on the right..

They sell the small 4" rounds as well as larger 9" and sometimes 12" rounds.

Edited December 31, 2016 by dddave

[katana]

Recipe for pita bread using plain flour (all-purpose flour) I bookmarked a while back.
Looks worth a try. Even if it went wrong, not much wasted on ingredients.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPiA69p4gqE

[tutsiwarrior]

I'm surprised that there's not an arab bakery in the area of sukh soi 3 to supply all the arab eateries around there...the arabs are always lookin' fer good business opportunities...they could import one of those fully automated machines like they got in the supermarkets in saudi et voila...just dump in the ingredients on one end and the bread comes out the other...and tastes good too...

 

the smiling pakistani at the bakery counter when I did my Friday morning shopping (Friday mornings are the best time before prayers, no murderous local traffic): ' brown bread! you like!'...I'd buy three packages with 4 loaves each right outta the oven and freeze, good fer the whole week...

 

the youtube clip that katana posted is a good one...answered a few questions that I had about the preparation for baking...kneading, etc...I brought a rolling pin back from saudi a couple of years ago and sho' 'nuff when I went lookin' for it and it's missing...gonna hafta use an empty beer bottle and I hate thai beer......can't use the vodka boddils cause Gilbeys comes in square boddils...

 

 

[al007]

43 minutes ago, tutsiwarrior said:

...can't use the vodka boddils cause Gilbeys comes in square boddils...

 

 

Ah but surely that would make oblong bread and OK by me

 

Happy New Year

[tutsiwarrior]

geometrical arabic bread?

 

and Happy New Year to yerself and to all...good cookin' in 2017...

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

4 hours ago, dddave said:

Flatbread (Pita) can be bought in most Bangkok Foodlands though it is often stale.  I usually try to buy it at the Sukhumvit Soi 5 location because the stock turns over there much faster and is fresher due to  the large local Muslim population. It is a bit hard to find. Left side of the store, 15m past the deli case on the right..

They sell the small 4" rounds as well as larger 9" and sometimes 12" rounds.

 

The same brands of pita also are available at Villa Soi 11, Soi 2 and Soi 31, at least, if not their other stores also. And the stock at the Soi 11 outlet turns over pretty fast also. 40 baht for a package of the small rounds, 10 or so pieces per package.  So clearly, there's already a well-established supplier at least in BKK. Been buying and using the same brand here for many years.

 

[dddave]

15 hours ago, tutsiwarrior said:

.I brought a rolling pin back from saudi a couple of years ago and sho' 'nuff when I went lookin' for it and it's missing...gonna hafta use an empty beer bottle and I hate thai beer......can't use the vodka boddils cause Gilbeys comes in square boddils...

 

I've seen rolling pins for sale in several "Japan Stores"..the B30 stores in many malls.

In a pinch I've used a round wooden pestil for rolling pizza dough...should work with the pita as well.

[JHolmesJr]

Pro tip for making creamier yummier hummus.....remove the skins on the chickpeas....its a bit of a pain but results are worth it. 

[tutsiwarrior]

21 hours ago, dddave said:

I've seen rolling pins for sale in several "Japan Stores"..the B30 stores in many malls.

In a pinch I've used a round wooden pestil for rolling pizza dough...should work with the pita as well.

 

yeah...we got one of those that I can use for the bread...gonna have a look down the market to see if they can be bought separately from the big stone mortars...

 

thanks fer the suggestion...

[tutsiwarrior]

this is to advise that I tried the method for pita/arabic bread described in the video in katana's post #39 and it turned out a treat...I watched the video a few times and groked the method...did 3/1 white to wheat flour and used 2 tsp yeast which may have been too much as the product was fluffier that I'm useta but it's my first effort so OK...

 

check it out...never again with that Farmhouse  garbage that they sell at lotac...I'm gonna freeze it and then toast as needed, I made each 'loaf' just big enough for the toaster...

 

gonna make a carrot salad to inaugurate my first batch...

 

alright, katana!...a potential nominee for 2017 POTY

[katana]

Gotta try it too now!

[easybullet3]

i would suggest you go to the Arabic Zone of Sukhumvit.

a few of the Supply shops there sell Over-Sized bags for commercial usage.

one shop you may have to ask around some of the lebaneese restaurants in Soi 3/1 and a nice manager or staff member may tell you where the supply shop is.

its in the area, but is hard to find. so you should ask managers at lebaneese restaurants.

chickpeas is something that hey buy in BULK in these types of restaurants.

 

also:

did you ever try JACK FRUIT SEEDS as an alternative?

they are ridiculously similar in taste... and a zillion times cheaper.

you can buy Bags of jack fruit stones/seeds in the night markets.. (ie: Mahana market or Klong Toei market).

you boil them for about 20 to 30 mins, but you need to remove the husk.

once boiled the taste of it is uncannily similar to chickpeas.

i even made a pretty good Hummus with them

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's what Foodland is offering in terms of raw garbanzos:

 

Here's what they're offering in terms of raw pinto beans imported from the U.S.:

 

And here's the reasons I'm making my own frijoles at home, instead of buying the imported Rosarita ones from the U.S., which are on the shelves at Villa Markets these days -- at almost $5 U.S. per can!!!

 

 

 

Though there is a somewhat cheaper option also imported from the U.S.  But 1 16 oz package of raw beans for 56b equals several of the pre-prepared cans worth. So the savings is considerable.

 

Edited January 5, 2017 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[katana]

On 31/12/2016 at 10:00 AM, katana said:

Recipe for pita bread using plain flour (all-purpose flour) I bookmarked a while back.
Looks worth a try. Even if it went wrong, not much wasted on ingredients.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPiA69p4gqE

Finally got round to trying this recipe.
Works very well. The only change I made was I found baking them in the oven rather than grilling gave a better result:
Place the flat rounds (ca 3-4 mm thick) on a heated baking tray in the centre of a preheated oven, gas 8 for 10 mins, turning halfway.

[tutsiwarrior]

^^I did my first batch stove top; I got a kick watching them puff up like in the video...but I'm gonna do the next batch in the oven to compare the result...

 

no probs with the oven losing heat when you opened it to turn them?

[katana]

Tried to turn them quickly with a spatula (not tongs) and only have the door open for a short time. Didn't even take the tray out to turn them. It lost a bit of heat but 10 mins was enough. Make sure the baking tray is preheated too. Didn't need to oil the tray, they didn't stick.

What I found with grilling was the oil decomposed and smoked under a medium to high heat and tainted the flavour of the bread. Also they didn't rise very well. Maybe I didn't roll them thinly enough the first time round?

With baking they all puffed up nicely. Just make sure the dough is thin enough, no more than 4mm. It needs to be thin enough so that the heat can quickly penetrate to the centre, creating a blast of steam and expanding the pocket before the dough becomes too rigid.

The oven baked ones lacked the nice char marks of the grilled ones though.

Every oven is different. I guess just go with which method works best for you!