Salade de Pois Chiches Epicés et Legumes Frais | Spiced Chickpeas and Fresh Vegetable Salad

Introduction

Bright vegetable salad with warm spiced chickpeas, lemony-herb dressing, and optional Greek yogurt for creaminess.

Ingredients

• 100g dried chickpeas
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 small cucumbers (280g)
• 2 large tomatoes (300g)
• 1 small red onion, peeled
• 240g radishes
• 1 red pepper, seeds/pith removed
• 20g coriander leaves and stems, roughly chopped
• 15g flat-leaf parsley, picked and roughly chopped
• 120ml olive oil
• Grated zest of 2 lemons, plus 50ml lemon juice
• 30ml sherry vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Salt and black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Greek yoghurt (optional)
• 1 tsp sugar

Directions

1. Soak chickpeas overnight in plenty of cold water with bicarbonate. Drain, cover with fresh water (about twice the volume), bring to a boil, and simmer ~1 hour, skimming foam, until tender. Drain.
2. Dice cucumber, tomato, onion, radish, and pepper into 1cm pieces. Toss with coriander and parsley.
3. Dressing: In a jar, combine 75ml olive oil, lemon juice/zest, sherry vinegar, garlic, and sugar. Shake; season to taste with salt/pepper. Pour over the diced vegetables and toss lightly.
4. Mix cardamom, allspice, cumin, and 1/4 tsp salt on a plate. Toss cooked chickpeas in spice mix to coat.
5. Heat remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium. Lightly fry chickpeas 2-3 minutes, shaking pan so they cook evenly and don’t stick. Keep warm.
6. Divide salad among plates, forming a ring with an indent. Spoon warm chickpeas in the center. Drizzle with Greek yogurt if desired.

Tips

• Season the dressing to balance bright acid with a touch of sweetness; salt veggies lightly to draw flavor without wilting.
• Keep chickpeas warm for contrast; avoid over-frying to prevent drying out.
• Dice vegetables evenly for consistent texture; pat dry if very watery to avoid diluting dressing.

Optional Additions

• Add a pinch of chili flakes to the chickpeas for heat.
• Serve with warm flatbread to scoop up salad and juices.