Indian Chickpea Salad with Spinach Recipe
Indian Recipes

Ingredients:

2 cups/1 lb/450g
4
1 tsp/5 g
5
1/4 cup/2 fl oz/60 ml
4 cloves
1 tsp/5 g
2 tsp/10 g
2 tsp/10 g
3 tbsp/45 ml
2
4


8 cups/1 lb/500 g

dry chickpeas
onions
whole cloves
bay leaves
peanut or olive oil
garlic
turmeric
cumin
garam masala
tomato paste
red bell peppers, sliced
medium zucchini (courgettes), sliced on the diagonal
salt and pepper to taste
baby leaf spinach

Method:

1. Pick over the chickpeas and remove any that are discolored. Place all remaining chickpeas in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Peel 2 of the onions and chop in half. Place these in the saucepan with the chickpeas. Add the cloves and bay leaves, and bring to the boil. simmer for 10 minutes then remove the chickpeas from the heat and cover and leaves for 2 hours to steep. Strain the chickpeas Discarding the onions, cloves, and bay leaves, but reserving some of the soaking water.

2. Chop the remaining 2 onions. Heat the oil and sauté the onions and the minced garlic. Add all the spices and cook briefly to release their fragrance. Add the soaked chickpeas and 2 cups/16 fl oz/500 ml of the soaking water, the tomato paste, and the bell pepper strips.

3. Cover and simmer gently for about 20 minutes until the chickpeas soften and the liquid evaporates. Add the zucchini and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well, then remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly then fold the spinach leaves into the mixture.

4. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Tip: Never add salt to pulses (dried peas and beans) until after the initial cooking or soaking because the salt will toughen the skins and inhibit their ability to absorb liquid.

Serves 8