What You Need to Know
Soaking hydrates chickpeas, reducing antinutrients and activating proteases that aid binding. Coarse grinding preserves starch granules that gelatinize at ~70 °C, giving a crisp exterior when fried at 170–180 °C. Adding a small amount of baking soda raises pH, promotes Maillard browning, and reduces surface tension, while careful mixing prevents excessive protein network formation that would otherwise yield a gummy texture.
The Science
Primary Reaction
Maillard browning, starch gelatinization, protein denaturation