Of Middle-Eastern origin, chickpeas, or garbanzos, were introduced into Mexico by the Spanish. The combination of chickpeas, peppers, and tomatoes is, however, distinctly Spanish in character, even though the latter two ingredients originated in Mexico (sweet bell peppers evolved from the original capsicum of Mexico). Chickpeas are sold dried or canned in Mexico. Either way, the skins should be removed by covering the cooked chickpeas with cold water and rubbing them to loosen the skins, which are hard to digest and ruin the texture of a dish. This vegetable melange can be eaten alone as an appetizer or teamed with Arroz Blanco as an accompaniment to meat or chicken.
