Recipe: Middle Eastern Spiced Chickpea Salad

12 Jan Recipe: Middle Eastern Spiced Chickpea Salad

This salad, inspired by a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe, has spiced chickpeas and fresh veggies that makes this a perfect meal prep, or nutritious weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

CHICKPEAS

400g / 14 oz can chickpeas, drained but still wet (Note 1)

2 tbsp olive oil

CHICKPEA SPICES

1 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp All Spice

1 tsp ground cardamon

1/4 tsp salt

SALAD

2 cucumbers , diced

2 tomatoes (or 3 medium tomatoes), diced

1 red onion (small) , diced

1/4 cup coriander leaves , roughly chopped

1/4 cup parsley , roughly chopped

DRESSING

1 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar (Note 2)

Zest of half a lemon

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp caster sugar

1 garlic clove, smashed (Note 3)

Salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Combine the Dressing ingredients in a jar and shake. Set aside for 20 minutes to allow the flavours to develop.
2. Place chickpeas in a large bowl. Scatter over Spices, then toss to coat. The wetness of the chickpeas will make the spices stick.
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over high heat and fry the chickpeas for a couple of minutes. Shake the pan so the chickpeas roll, or stir gently (so the spice coating doesn’t come off). Transfer into bowl and cool slightly.
4. Combine the Salad Ingredients in a bowl. Drizzle with a bit of Dressing and toss. Transfer to serving bowl.
5. Top salad with chickpeas (warm or at room temperature). Drizzle with more Dressing. Toss very gently, if desired (don’t toss too much otherwise spice comes off chickpeas). Serve immediately.
6. Great served with a dollop of yoghurt and pita bread to stuff the salad into.

Recipe and photo courtesy of recipetineats.com.au.