Nakhi, also spelled nikhee, is about as simple as street food gets: chickpeas boiled until tender and seasoned generously with cumin, salt and pepper, sometimes with a little chili and a squeeze of lemon. In Bahrain it is a classic breakfast, and around the Gulf it is ladled hot from big simmering pots in small takeaway shops, whose queues grow longer in Ramadan; at home it goes into cups or small bowls and is eaten with a little spoon. Its companion is bajella, fava beans prepared the same way, and the two are often sold side by side.

There is no trick to it beyond seasoning with confidence. That makes it the perfect thing to have bubbling on the stove for a night race at Sakhir: cheap, warming, vegan, and easy to eat standing up in front of a screen.

The chickpeas

Ingredients

• 3 cans (15 oz / 425 g each) chickpeas
• 4 cups (960 ml) water
• 1 small onion
• 1 loomi (dried black lime)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder or cayenne
• 1 lemon

Method

1. Put the chickpeas, water, onion, loomi and 1 teaspoon of the salt in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 15 minutes so the chickpeas soften further and take on the flavors.
2. While they simmer, toast the cumin seeds in the dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the pan, for 1 to 2 minutes. Grind them coarsely in the mortar or grinder.
3. Drain the chickpeas, keeping 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cooking liquid. Remove the onion and loomi. Return the chickpeas to the pan with the reserved liquid, the cumin, pepper, chili and remaining salt. Toss over low heat for 1 minute and taste.

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