Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- chickpeas 2
- garlic cloves 4
- Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes ½ tsp
- coriander seeds 1 tsp
- extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup
- cumin seeds 1 tsp
- preserved lemon peel 1 tbsp
- medium lemons 2
- sumac 1 tbsp
- Kosher
- thinly sliced red onion 1 cup
- tahini 0.33-0.5 cup
- ice water 3-4 tbsp
- pure maple syrup ½ tsp
- Persian cucumbers or / small-medium English cucumber 1 oz
- roasted white sesame seeds ¼ cup
- fresh mint leaves ½ cup
- flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems ½ cup
- A
If you don’t have whole cumin and coriander seeds, use 1/2 tsp each of ground cumin and ground coriander. Add to the oil in step 3 and stir constantly for just 20 to 30 seconds, then immediately remove from the heat. If not using sumac, you may want to add more lemon zest and/or juice plus salt to taste. If you plan to make this recipe ahead of time, omit the fresh mint. You can customize this and serve with pitas, cooked grains or rice, wraps, veggies, or hemp seeds. Storage: Make the chickpea salad BUT omit the fresh mint, as that will blacken after a day. Store the chickpea salad in the fridge for up to 5 days. Storage: As for the tahini sauce, you can easily prep that ahead of time and store in a sealed jar. It will stay in the fridge for up to one week. Storage: When it’s time to serve, if possible, let the chickpea salad come to room temperature so the flavors taste brightest. If the tahini sauce has thickened, just loosen it with a bit of water and/or lemon juice.
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1For the chickpeas: chickpeas , garlic cloves , Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes , coriander seeds , extra virgin olive oil , cumin seeds , preserved lemon peel , medium lemons , sumac , Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. For the finishing ingredients: thinly sliced red onion , tahini , ice water , pure maple syrup , Persian cucumbers or / small-medium English cucumber , roasted white sesame seeds , fresh mint leaves , flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems , A few pinches of flaky sea salt.
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2Add the drained chickpeas to a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and Aleppo pepper.
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3Lightly 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.
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4Toast 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.
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5Pour the infused oil over the chickpeas. Stir in the minced preserved lemon (or 1 tbsp lemon zest), 2 tbsp lemon juice, and sumac, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper (I use timer 1/2 tsp kosher salt). Set aside to marinate.
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6Add the sliced red onion to a bowl of ice water (to mellow out the pungency). Soak for 10 minutes , then drain and pat dry.
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7Tahini Dressing: In a bowl, combine the tahini, 3 tbsp ice water, 2 tbsp lemon juice, maple syrup, and 1/2 tsp 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.
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8Add 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.
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9Schmear 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.