Weights and Measures Question for Cooking Moms

I would have read that as 7 1/2 oz of chick peas from a can, not a 7 1/2 oz can of chick peas. In other words, I would have assumed net (drained) weight, not gross (undrained). And I would have weighed them or found the measuring cup equivalent, since not all food weighs in the same (1 cup water doesn't weight the same as 1 cup rice crispies).

Canned beans are fine. In order to have the right amount of cooked beans from the dry, you would need a kitchen scale.

I also found this for you:
http://forum.onlineconversion.com/showthread.php?t=13552

If I was making a recipe that called for a certain size can of something, Id buy that size can. If it says "drained" then you drain that same size can and use whats left in the can. If you had a can twice the weight, and drained it and used half of what was left Id say you did exactly what you should have done. If it turned out terrible, it might be that something else was done wrong, or the beans were a poorer quality, or you just didnt care for it. Not necessarily anything wrong, maybe just not your taste. I might have liked it, my husband not so much. It would be interesting to see the full recipe and give it a try. As for your measuring, I think you did it right.

Usually when they want you to use a certain sized can they'll say 7.5 oz. can of......... And rarely do U.S. recipes call for ingredients by weight.

And In the U.S., at least, they do not make 7.5 oz cans of garbanzo beans. I just looked at a can and it's 15 oz. It's possible that the beans drained would weigh 7.5 oz. but that if so that is a really strange way of listing the ingredients.

Were the other ingredients listed in weights rather than cups? European recipes list ingredients in metric. If so then you'd need to actually weigh the drained beans to be sure that you have the right amount.

Most recipes that use beans do not require exact measurements. And so I have no idea why the dish turned out terrible. Did it seem that it would be better with more beans? I might try it again using the whole can.

Next time double the rest of the ingredients and see if it turns out right. I do that all the time my pumpkin pie recipe calls for half of the pumpkin I normally buy to make one pie. So I double the other ingredients and make two pies.

Otherwise I would say you did it right. And dried beans would have to be soaked overnight.