Jabsons Roasted Chana

The Jabsons Roasted Chana slick packaging caught my eye at Patel Brothers in Atlanta (1711 Church St, Decatur, GA). Around since 1922, they hand roast which is certainly unusual to find in a packaged good. The packet is 150g or 5.29oz. The copy indicates the product is Gujarati style.

The chickpeas are quite small, about the size of a green pea. The Nimboo Pudina (Lemon Mint) flavor is readily apparent once the package is opened. In addition to lemon, citric acid and amchur (dry mango) provide tart acidity. The heat from chili powder is ultra-mild.

According to the package a 30g/1.05oz serving provides 11% DV fiber, 14% Calcium, 4.5g protein and 20% iron. All very useful things. It’s organic and has a glycemic index of 30-40. Like a nut, I found just a tablespoon or two satisfying.  The product appears to be gluten free and vegan. (ingredients: chana, oil, lemon powder, red chilly, citric acid, black pepper, dry mango, cloves, mint, sugar & salt). This snack will appeal to a wide audience as it’s fairly healthy, inexpensive and plentiful. Other flavors include gud, (molasses), spicy masala, black pepper, and hing jeera (hing is often used as a substitute for garlic by Jains – more on that in a future post).