Recipes / Salads / Mediterranean Ingredients Servings
− +
Quantities for 2 servings
1 x 400 g tin chickpeas, drained and very well dried 3 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 1 large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves and fine stems 1 small bunch of mint, leaves only 1 small bunch of dill, roughly chopped 1/2 cucumber, deseeded and diced 150 g cherry tomatoes, quartered 4 spring onions, thinly sliced Juice of 1 lemon 1 tbsp tahini 1 small garlic clove, crushed Salt and black pepper
Treat this list as a starting point rather than a shopping order. Swap what you haven't got, leave out what you dislike, add what you love — this is exactly the kind of dish that rewards poking around in the fridge.
Method 1 Tip the chickpeas onto a clean tea towel and roll them around until bone dry, discarding any loose skins. Wet chickpeas will never crisp, no matter how long you fry them. 2 Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas in a single layer and leave them for 3 minutes before stirring, then cook for another 6–8 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until they're golden and audibly rattle when you shake it. 3 Take the pan off the heat, sprinkle in the cumin, smoked paprika and a good pinch of salt, and toss so the residual heat toasts the spices without scorching them. Set aside to cool slightly — they soften if you dress them hot. 4 Whisk the lemon juice, tahini, garlic, the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp cold water together. It will seize and go pale before loosening into a smooth, pourable dressing. Season well. 5 Toss the herbs, cucumber, tomatoes and spring onions in a wide bowl. Keep the herb leaves whole where you can — chopping them fine bruises them and turns the salad dark. 6 Add most of the dressing and toss gently with your hands. Scatter the crispy chickpeas over the top, drizzle with the rest, and eat within the hour while the chickpeas still have their crunch. Tap a step to cross it off. Your place is saved on this device.
Cook’s notes To prep ahead, keep the chickpeas in an open bowl at room temperature — sealing them in a container traps steam and softens them within minutes.
A spoonful of pomegranate molasses in the dressing is excellent if you have it.
How it should look Photos of the finished dish, so you know what you’re aiming for.
More from Salads Salads Tuna in oil, drained but not wrung out, and everything else cut small enough to disappear into it. The crunch matters as much as the fish does.
15 min • Serves 4 • Easy
Salads Everything chopped to the same size and laid out in stripes rather than tossed. The arrangement is the recipe — you dress and mix it at the table.
40 min • Serves 4 • Easy
Salads Three ingredients and nowhere to hide. Everything depends on the tomatoes being ripe and the mozzarella being fresh, at room temperature.
10 min • Serves 4 • Easy
Salads
Salads
Salads
Ratings & comments
No ratings yet — be the first to say how it went.
0 comments
Nothing here yet. Cooked it? Let everyone know how it turned out.