It is still way too early in the year for the glorious bounty of spring produce to start lining the market bins but the H-Mart near my house had fresh garbanzo beans.  This is a product that is elusive (and cheap) enough to warrant purchasing even with the possibility of off-season disappointment.  And while there ended up being a number of pods that contained undergrown beans, just having them in my refrigerator for a couple of days was a constant reminder of the eventual coming of Spring.

Unlike, the dried garbanzos that we are used to seeing year-round, fresh garbanzos are soft, green and are typically sold in its pod.  I like to saute them in olive oil with a little garlic, cumin, paprika, and salt, and finished with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Look for them starting late-March and into April.  Then it will be back to hummus until next year.  Or if you can’t wait, get them at H-Mart now.

My wife wouldn’t stop eating them when I was trying to take a picture