Chickpea Botanical Name: Cicer arietinum (Fabaceae)
	General Description/History: - probably originated in Turkey - chickpeas have been grown for thousands of years in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions and have been found in archaeological sites dating back to 3500 BC - a member of the pea family, chickpeas are small (5 to 10 mm) rounded peas with a yellow/beige colour and a distinctive groove down the middle of one side - there are 2 types: Kabuli, grown in temperate regions like northern Victoria, and Desi, which is grown in semi-arid to tropical regions - chickpeas have a wide variety of uses: they are eaten fresh as green vegetables, fried, roasted, or boiled; they can be ground and the flour can be used as soup, dhal, or to make bread. Dhal is the split chickpea without its seedcoat, dried and cooked into a thick soup. - Available all year round
	Availability:  Month  Jan   Feb   Mar   Apr   May   Jun   Jul   Aug   Sep   Oct   Nov   Dec   Availability X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X All Year
	Growing Areas: Victoria & New South Wales