This is my first episode with Shan Parmley, the owner of India Bazaar in Honolulu. India Bazaar has been around since 1987. It is the longest survived indian restaurant on the island of Oahu. The food is affordable and delicious, and there is always a plant-based option for vegans.

Shan (pronounced SHAWN) was able to make an easy recipe that does not use any oil or salt! Here are the ingredients:
1. 1 cup of roasted chickpeas (chana)
2. 1 cup of shredded coconut
3. 1/2 cup of cashews
4. 2 cups of water
5. +/- 1 heaping teaspoon of amchur (dried mango) powder
6. +/- salt to taste

All you need is a blender such as a vitamix, and put all ingredients and mix until the mixture has the consistency of a smoothie. You can eat it with chips (like we did in this video), bread, or with other spicier foods to make them easier to digest.  You can buy the chickpeas already roasted or cook and them roast them yourself.   The amchur power adds a tart taste.  I made the recipe without it, and it was still delicious!  Enjoy!

Nutrient contents:

Chickpeas/garbanzo beans:   Chickpeas are a great source of protein: each cup of cooked garbanzo beans containing 15 grams.  A cup of cooked chickpeas also provides 12.5 grams of fiber.  Garbanzo beans also contain manganese and folate. Manganese helps support bone development and wound healing and also helps carry out chemical reactions important to your metabolism.  Folate, or vitamin B-9, aids in new cell growth and brain cell communication and protects against genetic mutations that contribute to cancer development.

Coconut:   Lauric acid increases good-HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. HDL is a high-density lipoprotein, which has beneficial effects on the coronary arteries by preventing vessel blockage.  Coconut meat contains a very good amount of potassium.   It is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine.

Cashews:  Cashews have “heart-friendly” monounsaturated-fatty acids like oleic, and palmitoleic acids. These  help lower harmful LDL-cholesterol while increasing good HDL cholesterol in the blood.  Manganese, potassium, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium are concentrated in these nuts.  Selenium is a co-factor for antioxidant enzymes . Copper is also cofactor for many vital enzymes . Zinc is a co-factor for many enzymes that regulate growth and development, and DNA  synthesis.  Cashews also contain many essential vitamins such as pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), riboflavin, and thiamin (vitamin B-1).  Pyridoxine reduces the risk of homocystinuria, and sideroblastic anemia. Niacin helps prevent “pellagra” or dermatitis.   Furthermore, cashers also have  zea-xanthin, an important pigment flavonoid antioxidant thought to provide protective UV ray filtering functions and prevent age-related macular degeneration.

References:

Tremblay, Sylvie.  “Nutrients and benefits of chickpeas and garbanzo beans.”  SF Gate.  Demand Media.  Web. 29 September 2015.  <http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/nutrients-benefits-chick-peas-garbanzo-beans-7490.html>.

“Coconut Nutrition Facts.”  www.nutrition-and-you.com.  Web.  29 September 2015.  <http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/coconut.html>.

“Cashew Nut Nutrition Facts.”  www.nutrition-and-you.com.  Web.  29 September 2015.  <http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cashew_nut.html>.