These little chickpea balls were made as “buah tangan” (Mitbringsel/small present) when I visited my friends in Schaffhausen recently. They liked the taste and wanted to know at once how to make them. They got the recipe and I got a report about the first attempt.

These little balls are literally melting in the mouth and are suitable as little snacks between the meals or as that finishing touch to a good cup of coffee or tea. The fat content is not high, the amount of sugar depends on the taste buds while chickpea is rich in proteins.

1 heaped cup (180g) chickpeas, roast until brown (you cannot beat the aroma arising from roasted chickpeas!)

     grind in mixer or blender, until you get a fine powder.

(The reporter of the attempt used the ready milled flour from the shop instead)

0.5 cup fine sugar (or more according to taste buds)

    add to the chickpea flour, mix well in the pan over a warm fire, then add

0.5 cup of melted butter a little at a time

    mix thoroughly.

As soon as the mixture clumps up, take the pan off the fire and start to form balls of about 2.5 – 4.5 cm diameters. Let cool. The balls could be placed in praline paper cups.

The following flavours are optional:

1 – 2 cardamon pods

1 – 3 tsp ginger powder

1 – 3 level tsp chillipowder