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I'm looking at a recipe for chickpeas (garbanzo beans) roasted in a spice mix, which looks yummy, but I'm confused by some items in the ingredients list.

I'm happy with this:

1 heaping teaspoon curry powder

I simply take my 5ml measuring spoon, and get a heaped scoop of curry powder.

But for

1 heaping teaspoon sesame, coconut or olive oil

1 heaping teaspoon sriracha

I can see that sriracha might well hold its shape enough to form a heap. But what about the oil??

AakashM
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4 Answers4

33

Obviously you can't "heap" a liquid.

What helps is if you remember that in cooking measurements are not set in stone. The amount given in a recipe can basically always be tweaked to your liking - a tablespoon need not be the "perfect" amount, but should be a good starting point. E.g. the siracha: some like their dish hotter, some less so.

In your case I'd interpret "heaping" as "generous" or "a bit more than". (The opposite of "scant", where you'd fill the spoon not quite full.)

I'd start with a spoonful and add more to taste, if necessary.

Stephie
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The recipe looks like it was written by someone who doesn't speak English as their first language. A heaping spoon of a liquid is nonsensical. My best guess is to use about half-again the spoon measurement, so 7-8ml.

Jolenealaska
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From looking at the recipe, and from my experience with roasted chickpeas, I think it would be fine with or without "heaping". If I think of heaping oil, I would just fill the spoon until it's just about to overflow, or even overflows a bit. I honestly don't think it would make a huge difference either way with this recipe.

ww1319
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It was a typo - the poster has corrected it, by deleting the 'heaping' on the oil. But, mysteriously, left it on the sriracha. Maybe her sriracha comes in powdered form... I don't think it's a second-language issue, her English looks native to me.

Spike0xff
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