‘It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary.’ Paulo Coelho.  Life is harder when you complicate the simple things and my cooking follows suit to a greater extent. Most of the days I prefer dishes which need less time to cook, have fewer ingredients and still retain the freshness & nutrient quotient intact. These simple recipes are a perfect antidote for those busy days when you are hard pressed for time and need something healthy and filling which can be thrown in just minutes.

This warm Chickpea and Veggie Salad falls in the same category. I defer to call this recipe just a simple salad, with Olive oil, mixed veggies, bread croutons, herbs, spices and protein packed chickpeas, this recipe makes a complete meal in itself. I could happily start and end my breakfast, lunch and dinner with a bowl of this chickpea and veggie salad.

A similar version of this warm Chickpea salad called Sundal is quite popular in South India, garnished with desiccated coconut it is served as a healthy snack.  There is one another recipe using chickpeas here which has become a hot favorite in my family. I keep changing and experimenting with garnish and the herbs according to my taste.

1. Dill & Lemon Chickpea Salad 

Ingredients;

• 2 cups boiled chickpeas
• 2 tbsp chopped Dill leaves
• 2 green chilly
• 1 tbsp. Olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt as desired

Spices

• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp roasted cumin seed powder
• A pinch of sugar

Method;  Soak Chickpeas (Kabuli channa) overnight or for 6-7 hours in warm water. Drain the liquid and boil the chickpeas till thy are tender and crunchy but not mushy. If you are using a pressure cooker, three whistles should be enough to cook it perfectly.

Wash and shred Dill leaves.

Heat oil in a pan add chopped green chilly, boiled chickpeas and saute for 3-4 minutes.

Take off heat, add rest of the spices, lemon juice and shredded Dill leaves and serve as an accompaniment with rice or bread.

2.  Lemony Chickpea and veggie Salad

Ingredients;

• 2 cups boiled chickpeas
• 1 small onion
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 boiled potato
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp chopped Dill leaves
• 2 green chilly
• 1 tbsp. Olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt as desired
• Handful of bread croutons (optional)

Spices

• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp roasted cumin seed powder
• A pinch of sugar

Method; Soak Chickpeas overnight or for 6-7 hours in warm water. Drain the liquid and boil the chickpeas till thy are tender and crunchy but not mushy. If you are using a pressure cooker, three whistles should be enough to cook it perfectly.

Peel onion & garlic and chop finely. Boil potato and dice into cubes. Chop tomatoes and the green chilly. Wash and shred Dill leaves.

Make bread croutons by baking cubes of breads in an oven or by shallow frying in oil.

Heat oil in a pan add chopped garlic, green chilly, onion and cook for a few minutes on medium heat. Add boiled chickpeas and saute for 3-4 minutes.

Toss in the chopped tomatoes, Dill leaves, and rest of the spices. Add bread croutons just before serving the chickpea salad.

Serve the warm Lemony Chickpea salad as an accompaniment to Biryani, Brown rice, or with any bread or your choice.

Notes;

1. The recipe could be adapted with herbs of your choice. Cilantro (coriander eaves), Parsley and even baby Spinach goes well with the recipe.
2. You could avoid garlic in the recipe and add cumin powder for extra flavor.
3. Dill is called Suva in Hindi, it has an acquired taste which many may not appreciate, you could switch to herb of your choice.
4. Veggies and the bread croutons added in the 2^nd recipe makes it a complete meal in itself.
5. Do not avoid Olive oil in the recipe for best results, you could use sesame oil which also gives good flavor.

 

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