The chickpea dish boiled with lemon juice, garlic, and spices is Balila.
Balila is a Levantine hot mezze made from whole chickpeas rather than the smooth purée used for hummus. The chickpeas are cooked until tender, then seasoned with bright lemon juice, garlic, and spices. Olive oil is often added before serving, giving the dish a rich finish while preserving its simple, rustic character.
Balila is commonly eaten warm and may be served as part of a mezze spread or as a light breakfast or snack. Its texture is central to the dish: the chickpeas remain recognizable and soft, rather than being blended with tahini. That distinction helps separate balila from hummus and from chickpea-based dishes such as fatteh.
The name can cause confusion because “balila” also refers in Egypt to a different preparation made from cooked wheat berries with milk, nuts, and raisins. In Lebanese and broader Levantine usage, however, it generally means the savory chickpea dish described here.