- [Beryl] Chickpeas are used in a variety of ways.

Their texture makes them versatile and their flavor makes them adaptable to any culture's palette, (upbeat music) so you'll see varieties on this legume around the world.

- I'm making hummus.

- The ratio is really good, Khadiga's ratio is good.

My name is Beryl.

A little Bit More.

And this show explores how our foods can bring our different cultures together, and this is our chickpea episode.

Today, I've paired up a Adeel and Khadiga to swap their go-to chickpea recipes from their cultures.

- I'm in the filming now?

- Yeah, we're filming you.

(Beryl and Khadiga laugh) Adeel will be trying a Syrian dish called fattet hummus.

- Today is the day I'm going for it.

Ooh, these look crispy.

- [Beryl] While Khadiga will be making Adeel's Pakistani chana chaat.

- It's so hot.

- [Beryl] How did you just put your hands on that?

It's in boiling water.

- I'm fine.

(both laugh) - Cumin and coriander, no dish is complete without them.

- [Beryl] Got a can of chickpeas lying around?

Get your notes ready, 'cause you're gonna wanna try these.

(cheerful music) - Hi Khadiga, my name is Adeel, and today you're gonna be making my favorite chickpea dish, chana chaat.

Chana chaat is a boiled chickpea dish that comes from Pakistan, but you can also find its variations in India.

I myself was born in United States, but I was brought up in Pakistan.

I moved back in 2014, and I've been here ever since.

- Okay.

I'm in the filming now?

- [Beryl] Yeah, we're filming you.

(both laugh) - Okay.

- [Beryl] That's what you're here to be done, we're filming you.

- Okay.

Let's boil the potato first.

- [Adeel] I love chana chaat because it just reminds me of home, when I used to cook it with my mom.

- Can you help mommy, please?

(Qeas grunts and giggles) (both chuckle) - [Beryl] That was perfect.

- [Adeel] I often have chickpeas, tomatoes, potatoes, onions in my house, so it makes it very easy to cook and eat.

I cook Syrian food.

We don't eat a lot of meat, mostly veggie.

I love this dish because it's very similar with our food.

- [Adeel] I would say when you're making chana chaat, just enjoy the process.

It literally takes you 15 minutes.

Make sure you're putting the potatoes to boil early on and enjoy.

(cheerful music continues) - It's still hard.

- [Beryl] How did you just put your hands on that?

It's in boiling water.

- I'm fine.

(both laugh) - I know it a lot, I boil a lot of potato.

I'm fine.

(playful music) - [Adeel] If you're into cumin, if you're into coriander powders, they can definitely amplify it.

And of course, don't forget lemon juice.

It seems like a simple ingredient, but it's gonna amplify the flavors.

So one of the key ingredients in this recipe is chana masala.

- It's like mix.

A lot of the flavor come to my noise, you know?

- [Adeel] And it is a seasoning that is a combination of different spices, - Like not intense spice, but like salty at the same time, like the sea.

- [Adeel] The flavors are just amazing.

It's completely up to you, you control the level of sourness, tartness, it's all in your hands, so you can amplify it as much as you want.

- He said I can add more lemon juice if you want, and I love lemon juice, (laughs) let's do it.

- [Adeel] I hope you love making chana chaat as much as we do, and get to share a little bit of my culture in your household.

Love, Adeel.

(cheerful music) - That's right.

Very simple, very healthy food.

Spicy.

I love it.

And just I need add more olive oil again, we love olive oil in Syria, we can't go without olive oil and garlic, you know?

- If something goes wrong, she'll blame it that it didn't have enough olive oil.

I think I will use olive oil for it in the future.

(laughs) After I try this, I will try any kind of dish, because you know, food make people come together with a culture.

- I'll take them all.

- Sorry Adeel, I'll add some olive oil to it.

(laughs) - Those are red onions in there too?

- Yes.

- Yeah.

- Oh, so you know what, that just moves it 2000 miles to the east.

(all laugh) That's amazing.

- Yum.

- How you like it?

- I like that it's sour.

- Me too, like, yes.

- [Beryl] That's so good.

- We add more.

- The spices are good.

Adeel, this was a great recipe.

- Thank you, Adeel, thank you.

- Yep.

(upbeat guitar music) - Hey, this is Khadiga.

Today you will making my favorite traditional Syrian dish named fattet hummus.

- So we're gonna make fattet hummus.

Thank you for sending the recipe, Khadiga.

- I originally come from Syria.

I left my country because of the war, I accept as refugee in the United State.

- So I'm gonna turn the oven on first, and raise your hands if you put some stuff in your oven.

- [Beryl] Classic New York.

(chuckles) - Classic New York - [Khadiga] Fattet hummus is traditional dish in Syria.

We use it as snack or breakfast or like brunch.

- I've actually never made my own pita chips, this is my first time doing this, so if it's cheaper and convenient, why not, you know?

- [Khadiga] I love these dishes because part of our culture, especially in a Friday, we gather as a family helping mom in the kitchen.

- All right, don't judge me, I don't know how to cut a garlic.

- In America, people usually dip with the hand and eat it.

In Syria, you will using the spoon when we eat it.

My mom taught me how to make it since I am like maybe in middle school.

- So now we're gonna go for the sauce.

- [Khadiga] The hardest part, actually, when you make the sauce, you know you, need right measurement.

- In India or Pakistan, they use cumin and coriander, no dish is complete without them.

And honestly, like I would always keep one of these, they're handy dandy.

- Yeah, that's good.

I like it.

- Perfect.

- [Khadiga] And the bread too, you don't like him to burn, you need be him right, you know?

Just like crunchy.

- These look crispy.

- [Khadiga] This combination between crunch bread and amazing sauce, and the garnished nuts in the top with olive oil.

- Let's do this for some cinematic effect.

(dramatic romantic orchestral music) - [Beryl] Very cinematic.

(both laugh) - I think you'll like it, because it's really wonderful dipping dish, and I think all America like dipping.

- Yeah, I'm making hummus.

- The ratio is really good, Khadiga's ratio is good.

- She knows her stuff.

She knows her stuff.

- [Beryl] It's so creamy, and like, (chaps lips) it's gonna be so good with all the toppings and everything.

- I love it because he bring my memory to me.

Like, when I taste, I taste family gathering together.

Maybe I miss my family so much, when I eat this dish, it's memory for me.

I hope you love my traditional dish, Love Khadiga.

(Beryl and crew person laugh) - All right, let's try this, the fruits of my labor.

Let's see.

Ah.

(delicate piano music) (crunches) Mm.

It's crispy.

The pomegranate is making it pop.

The freshness of it is just, it's just brightening my day, honestly.

The surprising piece was definitely the pine nuts.

It just brings back a memory, like in winters, we would like be all cuddled up in like blankets.

So I felt like I never tried it, but then all of a sudden I'm like, hey, this is something I used to eat in winters back home.

Maybe I've had it.

- Maybe you have.

(chuckles) - Maybe I've had it.

It has a lot of similarities with chana chaat.

Though the countries might be divided miles apart, but I feel like when it comes to chickpeas, they do have a lot of similarities in them.

(cheerful music) - That's so good.

- I'm fine, I'm very happy that's- - I don't have time to talk, okay?

- Okay.

- I need to keep eating it.

I love the pomegranate seeds.

I honestly think this is some of the best hummus I've ever had.

Khadiga, your ratios are perfection.

- It made everything seamless.

So thank you so much Khadiga, for introducing me to your culture, a part of your family, and most importantly, a part of your upbringing.

So, I appreciate it, thank you.

- I hope you enjoyed this episode of Pan Pals.

(cheerful music) Let me know in the comments if there's a special chickpea dish from your country that we should all be trying.

By the way, if you like home cooking, you should check out the latest season of "The Great American recipe."

The show features eight talented home cooks in a competition that celebrates the diversity and flavors of foods across the US.

You can watch the first episode here on the PBS Food YouTube channel, and check out the rest of the season every week on the PBS app, and your local PBS station.

Check it out in the links in the description.

(idle flute music)