According to tradition, while Queen Esther lived in the court of King Ahasuerus, she followed a vegetarian diet consisting largely of beans and peas so that she would not break the laws of kashrut (dietary laws). For this reason it is customary to eat beans and peas on Purim.
You’ll Need:
One 20-ounce can chick peas or garbanzo beans
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Place the chick peas with the liquid from the can in a saucepan. Simmer a few minutes, until heated through.
2. Drain the water. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve in a dish with toothpicks, or eat the chick peas as you would sunflower seeds or peanuts.
Reprinted with permission from The Jewish Holiday Kitchen (Schocken Books).
