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Delicious seasonal recipes from the Post Food team.

Chickpea Curry Flatbreads (Shortcut Trinidadian Doubles). (Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico)

By Becky Krystal

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Good Saturday morning, everyone. I’m excited to share this week’s featured recipe, Ellie Krieger’s Chickpea Curry Flatbreads (Shortcut Trinidadian Doubles), with you because I enjoyed making and eating it so much that I’ve already vowed to add it to my regular cooking rotation. It also happens to star one of my favorite ingredients: chickpeas.

I eat a lot of beans. (I mean, a lot.) But chickpeas far and away reign supreme for me. Their size and shape lend substantial texture and heartiness to a wide variety of dishes. I appreciate their mild flavor and versatility and the way they can take on so many different flavors in all kinds of cuisines. They also make a great stand-in for meat (especially chicken) or eggs in the right recipe.

And there’s really no excuse not to eat more of these healthy legumes when they’re so easily and affordably acquired, either dried (to cook from scratch) or canned. (My preferred method for cooking dried chickpeas is in the Instant Pot. For the best texture, I soak them overnight, then pressure cook on high for about 35 minutes.) I always have both options on hand and decide which to grab depending on how much time I have and what I’m making.

While you could certainly start with dried chickpeas, canned are what Ellie uses in her recipe. Trinidadian doubles are a beloved street food consisting of simmered, curried chickpeas wrapped in two lightly fried flatbreads called bara. Here, Ellie riffs on them by combining the canned beans with 2 tablespoons of curry powder — it sounds like a lot, but trust us — along with a few other spices and cilantro. The soft, lightly mashed chickpeas get piled onto mini naan or pitas, which you first crisp in the skillet until golden. Sprinkle the top with a little more cilantro (or parsley!) and grated cucumber before folding the bread to enjoy taco-style, though a fork and napkin are handy for this messy-in-a-good-way meal.

My husband and I happily ate the flatbreads for dinner twice in one week. If you don’t already, this recipe may convince you to always have canned chickpeas in your pantry, too. Below I’m sharing a few more of my favorite dishes that use them.

Have a question about how to cook with other pantry staples or another cooking conundrum? I’m here to help in my live weekly chat Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. Submit your questions now, then be sure to join the conversation in real time.

Until next week, happy cooking.

Easy Chickpea Curry

(Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Lisa Cherkasky)

If you haven’t made much Indian food, this easy chickpea curry is a great way to start.

By Becky Krystal

Chickpea Curry Flatbreads (Shortcut Trinidadian Doubles)

This boldly flavored chickpea curry, served on warm, crisp flatbread to fold and eat taco-style, is inspired by the popular street food Trinidadian doubles.

Napa Wedge Salad With Chickpeas and Bacon

This wedge salad features napa cabbage instead of the traditional iceberg lettuce, as well as hot, crispy bacon and chickpeas for heartiness.

Buffalo Chickpea Nachos

These simple-to-make nachos give chickpeas the tart, spicy Buffalo treatment, layering them with vegan cheese, red bell pepper and crisp green onions.

Recipe of the Week

(Tom McCorkle/For The Washington Post; food styling by Gina Nistico)

Chickpea Curry Flatbreads (Shortcut Trinidadian Doubles)

Find substitution suggestions and other tips below the recipe.

Save or print the recipe

Storage: Refrigerate the chickpea curry for up to 4 days.

Servings: 4 (makes 8 flatbreads)

Total time: 1 hour

Ingredients

One (12-ounce) cucumber
1/4 cup neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, divided
1 large yellow onion (10 ounces), diced (2 cups)
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile pepper, finely diced
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
Two (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, divided
1 1/2 cups water
8 mini naan or mini pitas, preferably whole-wheat

Steps

1. On the large holes of a box grater, grate about half (6 ounces) of the cucumber into a small bowl to yield about 1/2 cup. (Reserve the remaining cucumber for another use.)

2. In a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add the onion, and cook, stirring frequently, until it softens, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and chile pepper, and cook for 30 seconds more. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, salt and black pepper, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds more.

3. Add the chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, and the water, and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally and mashing the chickpeas a bit with the back of a spoon, until the chickpeas are very soft and the mixture is saucy, about 20 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired. Transfer the chickpeas to a medium bowl, and wipe the skillet clean.

4. Return the clean skillet to medium-high heat, and heat 1 tablespoon of the oil until shimmering. Place 4 pieces of the naan into the pan and cook until golden brown and warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and the remaining bread.

5. Place 2 pieces of bread on each plate. Scoop about 1/2 cup of the chickpea mixture onto each piece of bread, then top each with 1 tablespoon of the grated cucumber and a scant 1 teaspoon of cilantro, and serve.

From cookbook author and registered dietitian nutritionist Ellie Krieger. Tested by Becky Krystal.

Nutrition information per serving (2 flatbreads and about 1 cup curry), using whole-wheat mini pitas: Calories: 603; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 957 mg; Carbohydrates: 89 g; Dietary Fiber: 14 g; Sugar: 11 g; Protein: 22 g.

Substitution suggestions + other tips and ideas: