Chickpea “Tabbouleh”

There are some things that just go together. Like Figs and Almonds. Like Chickpeas, olive oil, lemon and parsley. Tomato and Basil. Take a combination that works, and it will give you endless dishes.

Here, we pulse the chickpeas and make a tabbouleh style salad with them.

You might like to browse our Chickpea Salads, or all of our Chickpea dishes here and here. Explore our Middle Eastern Dishes here and here. And check out all of Bittman’s Salads.

Simple Delicious Chickpea Salad

There is something very special about chickpeas hot from the pan, drizzled with olive oil, and only then sprinkled with salt and some lemon (not lime) juice squeezed over. The hot chickpeas release their aroma to the olive oil and the olive oil its aroma to the chickpeas. It is quite special.

My favourite way of cooking chickpeas is on the slow cooker setting of my rice cooker. Set it for 9 hours or so, and then let it sit on the Warm setting for several hours. There is no need to be precise with a slow cooker – but be sure it is a “slow” cooker, not just a “bit slower than normal” cooker. I have one of those too, in my cupboard, used occasionally.

You might also like to try Smashed Chickpeas with Broccoli and Dukkah, Chickpea Sundal (Indian Salad), or Dal Makhani. Browse all of the Chickpea recipes here and here. Explore the Bittman Salads or all of the Salad recipes here and here. Be inspired by our Autumn recipes here and here.

Channa Sundal | Chickpea Sundal | Kondai Kadalai Sundal

Another popular and delicious Sundal eaten as a snack at this time of the year is a Chickpea Sundal, also called Channa Sundal. Sundals are sometimes called salads, but more accurately they are a stirfried lentil with coconut and a tadka (spice mix fried in ghee) of black mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, dried red chillies and curry leaves. It is as simple as that.

If you want an instant sundal, keep soaked and cooked chickpeas in the freezer. Defrost them in the microwave or in the fridge or on the kitchen bench before making the Sundal. It will take you 5 mins only to make the dish.

You might also like to try Sweet Corn Sundal, Adzuki Bean Sundal, Sprouted Green Gram Sundal, and White Pea Sundal. Or you can make a sundal with du Puy Lentils or some mung dal, equally as delicious. Explore all of the Sundal Recipes, they are all quick and gorgeous.

Seasonal Cooking | Spring into Salads

It is so exciting to have Spring appear, creeping around the corner as she does, not really making her presence felt, just a little warmer, a little sunnier day by day. Capricious too, bringing thunderstorms and hail one moment and radiant sunshine the next.

Today, in all her glory, Spring served up a magnificent day. The afternoon was spent with friends eating and communing, enjoying her magnificence under sprouting grapevines, tiny tomato plants in just a tad too early, herbs flourishing.

Smashed Chickpeas with Broccoli and Dukkah

The cookbook that is featuring at the moment is Community, Salad Recipes from Arthur’s Kitchen. Great food is on every page. The salads do take a bit of pre-planning and time to prepare, but are worth it, and I always make enough to last for lunches and quick dinners.

This salad can be made a lot more simply than appears on the pages of the book IF, like me, you always have some bibs and bobs around that you have precooked, perhaps in the freezer, definitely in the fridge.

Are you looking for broccoli recipes? Try cooking it on the BBQ. There are other Broccoli recipes here and here. And other Chickpea recipes here and here.  Explore our Salads here and here. You will love our Autumn recipes here and here.

Dal Makhani | Restaurant Style | Recipe from the Oberoi Hotel

One thing always guaranteed to melt the heart of everyone at your table is Dal Makhani. Boy is it good! This is one of several versions of Dal Makhani in our recipe collection. Another favourite is Nilgiri Dal Makhani – I hope that you try it too.

Makhani is the Punjabi word for “buttery”, and this sure lives up to its name of Buttery Lentils! I had this in India at the Oberoi hotel in Bangalore and it was so very very good. Along with their dosa, it was one of my first great discoveries when I began travelling to India.

Asking the Chef for the recipe, he kindly typed it out for me. It caused much hilarity in the kitchens – I am not sure whether that was because I asked for the recipe or their difficulty in translating it into English and/or into servings for 6 people when they are used to cooking for 600.

Baked Chickpeas

Baked chickpeas are a delicious, easy and healthy snack You can eat these chickpeas just as they are, or throw them into salads on top of pasta with vegetable sauces. Eat them sitting out on your lovely table in the sunshine. Take them in your backpack on long walks. In your bento box for an office lunch. They are a great pre-dinner munchie. Or a late night TV snack.

Creamy Pearl Hummus Salad | Deconstructed Hummus Salad | Chickpea and Tahini Salad

Hummus is ubiquitous now. In much of the Western world good hummus is usually available in stores and Middle Eastern restaurants. The base flavours of hummus have a natural affinity for each other, and are a classic combination.

More unusual is using the very same ingredients, but stopping short of blending them into a paste. The same flavours are there, it is as beautiful as hummus, and it makes a salad that will have you coming back for more.

You might also like to try Chickpea, Almond and Sesame Spread, Chickpeas with Ginger Root Salad, Chana Chat with Chat Masala, or Cheat’s Hummus. Try other Chickpea Salads. All the Chickpea recipes are here and here. You might like to browse our Salad recipes here and here, or find inspiration with our Autumn collection here and here.

Simple Chickpea Salad | Salad de Pois Chiches

Sometimes we need simple food, and who better to consult than Elizabeth David? Her Chickpea Salad fits the bill.

In this recipe it is best to use chickpeas straight from the pan or slow cooker, to get the most out of the added flavourings. But it can be made with tinned or frozen chickpeas – just heat them for a few minutes on the stove until hot.

You might also like to try Chickpeas with Ginger Root Salad. Browse other recipes by Elizabeth David, or have a look at our Chickpea recipes here and here. Be inspired by our Autumn collection here and here.

Kabli Chana Til Sas | Chickpea, Almond and Sesame Spread / Sauce / Dip

Chickpeas really are little balls of sunshine. This recipe is extremely versatile – make it thicker or thinner to suit your use from a thick spread to a thin dressing.

Using chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and sesame seeds, it is an Indian take on Hummus. It takes about 5 minutes to make. Easy. Perfect for a such a lazy Sunday afternoon at home.

You might like to try Chickpea and Ginger Salad, or Channa Sundal. Browse all of the Chickpea Recipes here and here, and all of our Dips here and here. Find inspiration in our Summer recipes here and here.

Chickpeas and Young Ginger Salad | Kabli Chana Adrak Kachamber

Oh new ginger! So soft and sweet, without the strong ginger bite of its older sister. In this salad use only young ginger, without any fibres – it is gentle enough for this dish whereas the older ginger, brown in colour and more fibrous, will overwhelm the dish and be tough to eat.

You might also like to try a Simple Chickpea Salad, Creamy Pearl Hummus Salad, or Chickpea, Almond and Sesame Spread. You can always browse our complete chickpea collection here and also here. Explore the Salad recipes here and here or find inspiration in the Spring recipes here and here.

Try other recipes with Chaat Masala: Chickpea (Channa) Chaat, Kachumber Salad and Channa Chaat on Kovalam Beach. Also Watermelon Salad, Borlotti Bean Chaat, and Spicy Vegetable Sticks.

Hummus | Middle Eastern Chickpea Dip

I prefer hummus made the old fashioned way, with chickpeas soaked and cooked before whizzing into that heaven called hummus. To make the whole process quicker, soak and cook chickpeas beforehand, and pop them into the freezer. When you want hummus, defrost them and whizz them up with garlic and tahini.

But sometimes an emergency solution is required. At these times, use a tin of chickpeas or butter beans.

You might like to browse our Dips here and here, or our Chickpea recipes here and here. You might find inspiration in our Spring recipes here and here.

You might like to also try Smashed Chickpeas with Broccoli, Baked Chickpeas, or Channa Sundal. You might even like some Falafel with the hummus.

Chaat Masala | A tangy spice mix

Chaat Masaa is a very special spice mix from India, full of wonderful, contradictory flavours. There are many ways to use it, and it is an essential ingredient to many street foods, including the wonderful Chickpea (Channa) Chaat, Kachumber Salad and Channa Chaat on Kovalam Beach. You will also find it on Watermelon Salad, Borlotti Bean Chaat, Spicy Vegetable Sticks and Chickpeas and Young Ginger Salad.

Chaat or Chat are appertisers, teasers or small bites eaten as a snack. They are flavoured with this very special spicy and tart spice mix that pairs well with vegetables, lentils and fruit. It is particularly used to flavour fried pastries, potato dishes, chickpeas and tomato based salads.

You might also like to make Sambar Powder, Rasam Powder, and Garam Masala. Browse our Indian Essentials here, and all of our Indian recipes here and here.

All You Wanted to Know About Chickpeas

This is the story of chickpeas.

If  you would like to browse chickpea recipes, you can see our collection here.

Channa Chaat | Tangy Indian Chickpea Salad | Street Food

A craving for some spice brought me today to Lahore and a spicy chick pea dish. While Lahore is in Pakistan, this is a dish that is exactly like what I have eaten in Northern, middle and Southern India.