Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Meet the chickpea salad that’ll actually make you excited for lunch. Bold spices, lemony brightness, crisp cucumbers, and a dreamy whipped tahini sauce transform humble pantry staples into a crave-worthy yet fresh meal perfect for everything from meal prep to summer entertaining.
Foto: Rainbow Plant LifeBahan-bahan
- 2 (15 oz / 425g) cans chickpeas, (drained and rinsed (see Note 1))
- 4 cloves garlic, (minced, grated, or crushed with a press)
- 2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper ((or ½ tsp red pepper flakes))
- ¼ cup (56g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, (lightly crushed (see Note 2))
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds ((see Note 2))
- 1 tablespoon preserved lemon, (minced (or the zest of 1 lemon below / 1 TBSP zest))
- 2 medium lemons, (juiced)
- 1 tablespoon sumac, (more for finishing (optional, see Note 3))
- Kosher salt
- 1 heaping cup (100g) thinly sliced red onion
- 4 Persian cucumbers ((or ~10 oz / 285g English cucumber), diced)
- ¼ cup (32g) roasted white sesame seeds
- ½ cup (8g) flat leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, (chopped)
- ½ cup (8g) fresh mint leaves, (chopped)
- ⅓ to ½ cup (75 to 112g) tahini, ( well-stirred (see Note 4))
- 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
- ½ teaspoon pure maple syrup, (more as needed)
- A few pinches of flaky sea salt
Langkah-langkah
Add the drained chickpeas to a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and Aleppo pepper.
Lightly crush the coriander seeds by either blitzing once or twice in a spice grinder; using a mortar and pestle; or crushing with the back of a sturdy mug.
Toast the spices: Heat the olive oil in your smallest frying pan or saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the crushed coriander and cumin seeds. Allow to sizzle and swirl the pan frequently to prevent burning. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the spices are a few shades darker and very aromatic. Immediately pour the hot oil over the garlic mixture and allow to sizzle. Stir, then let sit for 1 minute.
Pour the infused oil over the chickpeas. Stir in the minced preserved lemon (or 1 TBSP lemon zest), 2 TBSP (30 mL) lemon juice, and sumac, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper (I use ~ 1 ½ tsp kosher salt). Set aside to marinate.
Add the sliced red onion to a bowl of ice water (to mellow out the pungency). Soak for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
Tahini Dressing: In a bowl, combine the tahini, 3 TBSP (45 mL) ice water, 2 TBSP (30 mL) lemon juice, maple syrup, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Stir with a fork until thick and very creamy (I like mine spreadable and thick, but if using less tahini, it will be a bit thinner). Taste, adding lemon juice or salt to taste, or more maple syrup for sweetness.
Add the diced cucumbers, drained onions, sesame seeds, and half of the chopped mint/parsley to the chickpea salad. Toss well to combine. Taste, adding more lemon juice or salt as desired.
Schmear the Tahini Dressing onto the bottom of a shallow bowl or plate. Top with the chickpea salad and the remaining mint and parsley. Sprinkle the salad with a bit of sumac and Aleppo pepper and flaky sea salt to taste.
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