Couple of months back, a lovely friend had requested me to share a spring recipe for her online magazine. As much as thrilled and excited I was, it also got me thinking. There were loads of ideas popping in my mind! Torn between preparing something sweet or savory, I decided to settle with a salad.
The recipe should have simultaneously appeared here long time back but my tiny brain totally forgot about it! The other day, I was clearing some unwanted files from the laptop, these photos caught my attention and that's when I remembered.
The green chickpeas that I used were dried and required to be soaked overnight. Once that is done, it takes hardly any time to prepare the salad. I prefer to make it in advance and letting it rest for a while as it helps the flavors to blend nicely with the raw vegetables. Green chickpeas are easily available in any Indian store, but you could also substitute it with any beans of your choice. I had once replaced the chickpeas in the salad with couscous and that was equally delicious.
The dressing is pretty much like Indian raita; creamy, tangy and gives a refreshing mouth-feel. It is made with yogurt, roasted cumin, extra-virgin olive oil and refreshing mint.
We tried to pair the salad with baked fish on the side. It somehow worked as a great combination and eventually, became one of our favorite meals. Having said that, it also tastes great just on it's own. There is the crunchy bite from the green chickpeas, refreshing tangy kick from the yogurt dressing and sweetness from the vegetables.
Green Chickpea Salad with Yogurt Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried green chickpeas (soaked in water overnight)
- 2 shallots (thinly sliced)
- 1 yellow pepper (finely chopped to tiny bite size)
- 1 cup sweet cherry tomatoes (chopped in half or quarters)
for the dressing
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup sour plain yogurt
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon aamchur (dry mango powder)
- salt
Instructions
- Heat a pan and dry roast the cumin seeds for a few seconds until they change color to a darker shade.
- Using a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the roasted cumin seeds to a fine dust.
- In a food processor, add all the ingredients of the dressing and give it a mix.
- Take it out in a bowl, add the roasted cumin powder to it and mix properly again.
- Put the green chickpeas soaked with water in a microwave proof bowl and let it cook for 10 minutes at high temperature.
- In a salad bowl, add green chickpeas, chopped pepper, chopped cherry tomatoes and shallots.
- Pour the dressing and give it a good mix.
- Salad is ready!
Notes
If you are using canned chickpeas, you do not need to soak or cook them in the microwave.
Nutrition
Jennifer (Delicieux)
What a gorgeously colourful salad! I've never had green chickpeas, nor have I seen them in the stores here in Australia.
Sublime Palate
I have seen dried green chana in Indian stores here and wondered what to do with it! Looks so simple to make.
The props, the styling and the photos just look so bright and cheerful! The mint shot is pretty!:)
Vijitha
A bowl of colorful goodness!
Thyme (Sarah)
Those photos are just gorgeous. Thank goodness you didn't delete them and now we get to enjoy the salad and the recipe. I made a raita and used it to pair with vegetarian chickpea samosas that I made for a party. I loved the flavors in the raita.
DB-Foodie Stuntman
Glad you found this recipe. Congratulations on making the foodbuzz Top 9!
Hester @ Alchemy
Gorgeous salad and the yoghurt dressing is a lovely alternative to mayo.
CJ at Food Stories
Congratulations on your foodbuzz top 9, today!
Charles
Looks wonderful Kankana - nothing else needed with this. It's boiling hot here and cool, easy salads are all I want to eat right now. That and ice-cream of course 😀
easyfoodsmith
Congrats on Top 9...the salad looks very refreshing and a salad is the only way I like to savour the green chickpeas.
Foodlvr
What a beautiful salad. Looks so good. Interesting too.
Shumaila
I will definitely be trying this salad out! And as always kankana, absolutely beautiful captures!
Rekha
Nothing else cheers me up like a big bowl of refreshing salad :). More colors in it makes it so healthy ...though we are not getting green chickpeas any more in india... but looking to build one with normal chickpeas !
Candace
Your blog just makes me so happy! I love your header! Your photos are gorgeous and this salad looks soooooooo good. I must look for green chickpeas. I have never seen them before.
IshitaUnblogged
Again - I look at your header and I do exactly that - SMILE!
IshitaUnblogged
Very refreshing salad. I love chickpeas - so probably I'm going to enjoy this without any accompanying dish!
Your photographs are so amazing... there's so much to learn:)))
nipponnin
I never had chickpeas but photos looks awesome! The yogurt dressing sounds refreshing! Love it!
wokandspoon
Stumbled across your blog and I love the colours of the salad! The photos make it look extra appetizing!
Nami | Just One Cookbook
What a gorgeous salad Kankana! I love the soft effect on the pictures a lot. I'm also curious to try the yogurt dressing. Sounds delicious! Have a great long weekend my friend!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen
I have yet to try green chickpeas, you have me curious now.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
I could eat this as the main. It looks filling and delicious.