Chick peas are available in two forms either Desi or Kabuli. It may be classified on the basis of shape, thickness, size etc. 

Kabuli (meaning ‘from Kabul’ in Hindi, since they were thought to have come from Afghanistan when first seen in India) or safed chana is the kind widely grown throughout the Mediterranean and the Indian Subcontinent. 

Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein, fiber, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. 

Mature chickpeas can be cooked and eaten cold in salads, cooked in stews, ground into flour called gram flour (also known as chickpea flour and besan and used frequently in Indian cuisine).