Physicochemical, cooking, textural and roasting characteristics of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars

Seeds of five desi (PBG-1, PDG-4, PDG-3, GL-769, and GPF-2) and one kabuli type (L-550) chickpea cultivars were evaluated for their physicochemical (seed weight, seed volume, hydration capacity, hydration index, swelling capacity and swelling index), cooking, instrumental textural (hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, springiness, chewiness and fracturability) and roasting (puffing capacity, puffing index, and expansion index) characteristics and related to each other. Significant variation in physicochemical, cooking, textural and roasting properties was observed among different chickpea cultivars. The results showed that cultivars having higher seed weight and volume had higher cooking time, swelling capacity and hydration capacity. The interrelationships between roasting characteristics of seeds from different chickpea cultivars showed a significant negative correlation of puffing capacity, puffing index and expansion index with seed weight, volume, swelling and hydration capacity. The kabuli type chickpea cultivar was observed to have poor roasting and textural properties. Swelling and hydration capacity correlated well with cooking time, springiness and hardness of soaked chickpea seeds. Cooking time had a positive correlation with hardness and gumminess and a negative correlation with springiness. It was also observed that cultivars with high fat and carbohydrate and low fiber content had high soaked-seed hardness.