Chickpea Polenta (made with Masa, Vegan, Gluten-free)
This Chickpea Polenta is faster and easier to cook than regular polenta, thanks to masa! ... And, it's more nutritious and creamier, thanks to chickpeas!
Place water, strained chickpeas and salt in blender. Purée on medium high speed until smooth and creamy, about 40 seconds.
Pour purée into medium size saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, and then reduce heat to maintain slow simmer over lower heat.
Fan masa into simmering purée WHILE whisking the whole time, until it's completely incorporated. If there are few small lumps, don't worry, as they'll mostly cook out. (The steam can be quite hot when you first whisk in the masa, so try to use a longer handled whisk, or reduce heat so the mixture doesn't pop and sputter on you.)
Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring with a long-handled spoon, until polenta is thick, about 5 minutes. (The mixture doesn't need to simmer during the 5 minutes, as long as it's very hot and steamy and thickening while you stir.)
Stir in butter. Cover and place over very low heat for 30 to 60 minutes. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
Serve topped with or as a side for roasted veggies and favorite meats. Or, serve as a porridge for breakfast.